The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) noted that the increased strikes reflect Russia's growing munitions production and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's stated determination to achieve his goal of breaking through Ukraine by military means.

The WSJ noted that Russia's most intense bombing of Ukrainian cities has occurred this summer. During major attacks, hundreds of drones fill the skies.

"While the interception rate remained relatively stable, more drones launched meant more damage, even if most of them were shot down," the publication notes.

Journalists pointed out that Russia often intensified strikes immediately after negotiations or phone calls between US, Ukrainian and Russian officials.

"This is part of a broader cognitive war aimed at sowing discord between the US and its international partners by sending mixed signals about their interest in reaching a peace agreement," commented Daniel Mealy, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.

The WSJ notes that the attacks intensified after a phone call between Trump and Putin in early July. Russia then carried out its largest attack, launching 728 drones and 13 missiles, many of which were aimed at the capital.

The attack on Kyiv, which came days after Trump and Putin met in Alaska, was the bloodiest of the entire war.

Throughout, Russia has targeted Ukraine's power grids. The strikes partially stopped after talks in March, during which Ukraine agreed to end attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and Russia reduced its bombing of energy networks.

The newspaper noted that the strikes resumed in the summer, destroying one of the few victories achieved in the US-led negotiations. “Russia wants to show Ukraine and the West that it has the means to escalate this war,” said Fabian Hoffman, a missile expert at the University of Oslo.

Analysts say Russia's growing ability to produce attack drones, rather than buying them from Iran, is fueling the airstrikes in Ukraine. Russia launched nearly 6,300 attack drones into Ukraine in July, the peak month for drone attacks. By comparison, 426 such drones were launched in July 2024.

The WSJ notes that since Trump came to power, the Ukrainian population has experienced three of the bloodiest months of airstrikes.