Ukraine Strikes Hit 11 Russian Vessels in Sea of Azov Overnight
Ukraine strikes on Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov have escalated sharply, with drones hitting 11 ships overnight and bringing the nine-day total to 116 as Russia accused Ukraine of terrorism and prepared to reroute grain exports.
Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Sea of Azov Shipping
Ukrainian drones struck 11 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight. [1] The targets included five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and a tugboat. [1] This brought the total number of vessels struck in the past nine days to 116. [1] Industry sources reported that several grain ships were hit on July 13 and July 14 and caught fire. [1] One source described the vessels as standing like targets before a firing squad and predicted that in a couple of days there would not be a single intact boat left in the Sea of Azov. [1] Ukrainian military commander Robert Brovdi stated on Telegram that the overnight attacks hit five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and a tugboat. [5] The same commander reported the nine-day total reaching 116 vessels struck. [5]
Russian Accusations of Terrorism
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the attacks as going beyond piracy. [1] Lavrov stated that what the Ukrainian regime is doing benefits neither them nor anyone else and that the goal is simply to cause damage and intimidate. [1] He added that it is terrorism, pure and simple. [1] A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that the Ukrainian Armed Forces strike only military targets or targets that contribute to strengthening Russia’s combat capability. [1] The source added that civilian cargoes are not among them and that Russia is looking for a pretext to justify its cynical strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure by talking about attacks on civilian vessels. [1] Sergei Lavrov also accused Ukraine of carrying out acts of terrorism. [5] Lavrov said pirates at least plunder and keep the spoils for themselves. [5]
Russian drone strikes apartment in Kharkiv high-rise building injuring one person. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Impact on Russian Grain Exports and Shipping
Shipping in the Sea of Azov remained restricted on Tuesday. [1] Commercial vessels were unable to enter or leave via the Kerch Strait or the Azov-Don channel. [1] Russia’s Agriculture Ministry said exports may get diverted to other routes. [1] The ministry stated that given Russia’s significant capacity for transshipping agricultural cargo in various regions, supply logistics will be redirected if necessary. [1] Grain exporters said cargoes could be rerouted through deep-water grain terminals on the Black Sea or via Baltic Sea ports. [1] Russia’s Union of Grain Exporters and Producers said Russia will fully meet its grain export commitments to foreign partners despite the situation in the Sea of Azov. [1] Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture said the situation in the Azov Sea will not affect the domestic market’s food supply or the country’s export capabilities. [5] The ministry added that Russia was preparing to use alternative shipping routes and may redirect cargo to other modes of transport. [5]
Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Civilian Areas
A Russian drone flew into the window of an apartment on the second floor of a high-rise building in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kharkiv on the evening of 14 July. [2] One person was injured in the attack. [2] The drone caused a fire to break out. [2] On 14 July Russian forces struck residential blocks in the Korabelnyi district of Kherson from the temporarily occupied left bank. [4] Three people were injured as a result of this artillery strike. [4] The injured included a 17-year-old young woman, a 54-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man who sustained mine-blast injuries, concussions and acute stress reactions. [4] The strike damaged windows, facades, balconies and a car parked beneath the building. [4]
Ukrainian drones struck 11 Russian vessels including tankers in the Sea of Azov overnight. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Rising Civilian Casualties Documented by UN
At least 293 civilians were killed in Russian strikes in June. [3] This was the highest monthly death toll since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. [3] UN human rights experts reported at least 293 civilians killed and 1,990 injured in June. [3] The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine stated that June became the month with the highest number of civilians killed and injured since April 2022. [3] A total of 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured over the first six months of this year. [3] This figure was up 37 percent on the same period in 2025 and up 114 percent compared with the first half of 2024. [3] Civilian casualties from long-range weapons such as missiles and drones increased by 60 percent compared with the same period in 2025. [3] Since 24 February 2022 the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified at least 16,431 civilians killed, including 803 children, and 48,613 injured, including 2,960 children. [3]
Broader Context of Energy and Infrastructure Attacks
Ukraine has carried out a series of attacks on Russian oil refineries, fuel depots, ports and other energy infrastructure. [1] These attacks have created fuel shortages across Russia and disrupted exports. [1] Ukraine has stepped up long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure. [5] One attack sparked a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery. [5] Ukraine also struck another oil refinery in the republic of Bashkortostan. [5] Russian authorities said falling debris from a drone attack injured one person and damaged houses in several villages. [5] Russia’s Defence Ministry said it hit targets in Kyiv, port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa region, and fuel storage facilities for Ukrainian forces in the port of Yuzhny. [5] Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said Russian forces struck a civilian vessel near Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa. [5] Pletenchuk reported no casualties in the attack. [5]
What to watch next: Russia’s Agriculture Ministry has acknowledged that exports may get diverted to other routes while the Union of Grain Exporters and Producers has stated that Russia will fully meet its grain export commitments.
