KYIV, Aug 01 (AFP/Reuters): Russian drone strikes on Ukraine have hit an all time high, an AFP analysis showed Friday, as Kyiv held a day of mourning after one of the deadliest attacks on the capital left 31 dead.
The large-scale aerial assault during the early hours of July 31 capped a month that saw Russia launch more drones at Ukraine than in any month since it launched its 2022 invasion.
Moscow has been intensifying its deadly bombardment of Ukraine as peace talks stall, and increased its long-range drone attacks in July by nearly 16 percent, an AFP analysis showed.
AFP journalists at the scene on Friday of the Kyiv strike saw rescue workers pulling bodies of killed civilians from the debris of a nine-storey residential building that was gutted in the attack.
"This despicable attack by Russia shows that additional pressure and sanctions on Moscow are necessary," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, announcing rescue operations had ended.
"This can only be stopped together: America, Europe, and other global actors," he added, noting that five children were among the dead.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the Russian attacks as "depraved" on Friday and posted a picture of the bloc's flag at half mast.
"More weapons for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia are the fastest way to end the war. Getting more air defenses to Ukraine fast is our priority," she added in a post.
Zelensky has been appealing to allies for more air defence systems and on Friday, Germany said it would soon start delivering two more US-made Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine.
Germany has already delivered three Patriot systems to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine every night last month, triggering air raid sirens and sending civilians scrambling for shelter.
The Kremlin has consistently rejected a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying in July it saw no immediate diplomatic way out of its nearly three-and-a-half year invasion.
Meanwhile, Russia said on Thursday it had captured the town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine after nearly 16 months of fighting, opening the way for potential further advances.
Russia's Defence Ministry said in a brief statement its forces had "liberated" the town.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed the claim as "disinformation". A Ukrainian military spokesperson called it "propaganda".
But a video posted by a Russian military unit and verified by Reuters showed a Russian paratroop banner and the national flag being raised by soldiers in the desolate ruins of the town.
Russia has been slowly grinding forward in eastern Ukraine as talks to end the 3-1/2 year war have failed to make progress towards a ceasefire, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten new sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports from next week.
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