Kuimet provided an overview of recent security developments in Ukraine at a Ministry of Defense press conference.

He noted that the armed forces of the Russian Federation continued active combat operations along the entire front line throughout the week.

According to Kuimet, the focus of the Russian armed forces is in the Donetsk region. "The main focus of the Russian armed forces is currently clearly not on Kharkiv, but on the Donetsk region, where additional units are likely to arrive in the coming weeks, which could further intensify the fighting," he said.

He noted that there were an average of 140-150 attacks per day along the entire front, slightly more than in previous weeks.

Most of the attacks occurred in Donetsk Oblast, in the directions of Pokrovske, Chasiv Yar, and Kurakhove.

In the Kurakhove direction, on July 30, the Russian Federation carried out a larger-than-usual attack – a mechanized assault involving one to two battalions. "The last similar attack attempt took place on July 24. This broadly indicates that the focal point of Russian offensive attempts is clearly now in Donetsk Oblast," Kuimet said.

He acknowledged that although the Ukrainian armed forces managed to stop the aforementioned attacks, Russia had captured an additional 150-200 square kilometers of territory along the entire front line during July.

"In summary, the Russian armed forces currently still hold the initiative on the front, and it is likely that in the coming weeks, we will see small-scale advances by Russian forces, primarily towards Donetsk Oblast," Kuimet noted.

Kuimet mentioned that on July 31, Russia conducted a large-scale drone attack on Ukraine, targeting various sites with 89 drones. The main direction of the attack was the Kyiv region, with drones launched from Yeisk, Sescha, Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. The Ukrainian armed forces successfully shot down all 89 drones, minimizing the attack's impact on Ukraine.

"For context, although Ukraine has been under relatively constant and intense drone attacks, as well as occasional large-scale ballistic missile attacks in recent months and weeks, the last drone attack of this scale occurred on January 1, when 90 different Shahed-type drones were fired at Ukraine," Kuimet added.

He noted that all drones were shot down also on that occasion, but the attack was preceded and followed by a large-scale missile attack by long-range air force, which hit electrical, port and railway infrastructure objects, military airfields and weapons and ammunition depots across the country.

There was no preceding or following long-range attack in connection with the July 31 drone attack by the Russian Federation. "Why exactly – it's hard to say," Kuimet added.

He mentioned that, conversely, the Ukrainian armed forces have carried out drone attacks on Russian airfields in recent weeks, including Olenegorsk long-range airfield, which may have prevented a larger long-range aviation attack against Ukraine.

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