Ukraine: Record 376 Russian Missiles in July, Zelensky and Trump at Odds Over Patriot Production

Herz — World Desk · 1 August 2026 at 11:43 · 30s summary · 2 min read

What We Know

In July 2026, Russia fired 376 missiles against Ukraine — a monthly record since the conflict began, according to an AFP count reported by Le Monde. This total represents more than double the number of strikes recorded in June 2026.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of attacking "ordinary residential buildings."

ordinary residential buildings

— Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

The Drone Attack of July 30-31, 2026

During the night of July 30-31, 2026, Russia launched 255 drones against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defense intercepted and destroyed 195. The attack killed 3 people.

The Patriot Missile Production Dispute

The Patriot (MIM-104) is a U.S. air defense system developed by Raytheon, designed to intercept ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft. It has been a cornerstone of Ukrainian air defense since the first Western deliveries in 2023.

Around July 29, 2026, following their meeting at the White House, Zelensky announced that Washington was ready to issue the necessary licenses for Patriot missile production on Ukrainian soil.

On July 31, 2026, Trump publicly contradicted this version: he stated he had not yet decided to authorize such production or grant the corresponding export license.

The production abroad of any U.S. military equipment requires an explicit government license from the United States. Without this authorization, no country can legally manufacture these systems on its territory.