Escalating drone and missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine

During mid-July 2026, intensified hostilities occurred between Russia and Ukraine involving widespread drone and missile strikes. In Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks targeted a Wildberries logistics center in the Moscow region, causing at least seven deaths and 24 injuries, while Moscow authorities reported intercepting hundreds of incoming drones. Ukraine also claimed successful strikes against two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, a floating crane in the Sea of Azov, and the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl. Simultaneously, Russia conducted missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, including Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson, resulting in multiple civilian casualties, damage to civil infrastructure, and a gas production facility in Kharkiv. Regional officials confirmed at least two deaths and eight injuries in Odesa. Maritime traffic in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov remains highly volatile, with both sides reporting damage to numerous commercial vessels, further impacting grain exports.