Ukraine claims 116 Russian vessels hit in Sea of Azov as Putin vows powerful retaliation
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9 days · 10 summary articles
Ukraine's drone forces have claimed to have hit 116 vessels in the Sea of Azov in the past nine days, as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed a powerful retaliation to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces said its drones struck several tankers and cargo ships with the aim of damaging Russia’s “shadow fleet”.
Russia is considering rerouting cargo from the Sea of Azov after increased Ukrainian attacks on shipping, the transport ministry said on Tuesday. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called the attacks "acts of terrorism." Putin said Moscow would respond to Ukrainian attacks on its territory with retaliatory strikes that would be "several times more powerful," adding that the scale of such responses would increase.
Ukraine’s military also said it struck two Russian oil refineries in the Bashkortostan and Krasnodar regions, sparking fires at the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex and the Afipsky refinery, with Russian authorities confirming both blazes. Russian-controlled Sevastopol in Crimea imposed rolling power cuts after Ukrainian attacks, while fuel shortages linked to strikes on refineries and logistics have led to gasoline restrictions across Crimea.
In the Odesa region, Russia struck a civilian cargo ship for the second consecutive day on July 14, killing two people, Governor Oleh Kiper said. "This evening, the enemy launched another attack on port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast. During the attack, a hostile drone struck a civilian vessel flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, damaging the ship's superstructure. A fire broke out on board," Kiper reported. Two people were killed in the attack on the ship, he said. The governor did not disclose details about the identities of the victims.
The previous day, Russia hit a civilian cargo vessel flying the Togolese flag while it was unloading mineral fertilizers at the port of Odesa. The July 13 attack killed five people, including three foreign crew members, and injured 10 others. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure and commercial shipping since the start of the full-scale invasion, despite the reopening of a maritime export corridor that has allowed Ukraine to resume grain exports.
Ukrainian officials have warned that these attacks threaten global food security. Russia's attacks on cargo vessels follow a sustained Ukrainian drone campaign against Moscow's "shadow fleet." As of July 14, Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi said Ukrainian drones had attacked 116 vessels in Russia's key maritime corridors. The aim of the campaign is to halt Russia's commercial traffic, particularly oil flows, and cut off critical military supply routes to Crimea.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine on Tuesday of attacking commercial vessels in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in what he called acts of terrorism. "What the Ukrainian regime is doing goes beyond even piracy. Pirates, at least, plunder and keep the spoils for themselves. But here, it benefits neither them nor anyone else - the goal is simply to cause damage and intimidate. It is terrorism, pure and simple," Lavrov said.
The conflict has also seen significant casualties and damage on the ground. On July 14, Russia launched 8 missiles, 79 airstrikes (250 bombs), 10,559 drones, and 3,282 shelling attacks. Ukrainian forces repelled 253 engagements, hitting enemy personnel, artillery, and drones. The highest assaults were in Pokrovsk (40). Enemy lost 1,470 troops, 10 tanks, 42 artillery, 2,003 drones, and 445 vehicles.
In other developments, Russian forces attacked three districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on July 15, injuring one man and damaging infrastructure facilities. A Russian drone attack on Chernihiv Oblast killed one man, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. A 70-year-old woman died from injuries sustained in a Russian attack on Kherson.
The conflict has also had international repercussions. The European Union has blacklisted Russian hackers and firms over cyberattacks on Europe and Ukraine. Poland intercepted a Russian spy plane over the Baltic Sea and accused Moscow of probing its air defenses.
The situation remains tense, with both sides exchanging drone strikes and attacks on civilian and military targets. The international community continues to monitor the conflict closely, with concerns about the humanitarian impact and global food security.
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