Ukraine Strikes Hit Russian Oil Refinery and Engels Airfield as Moscow Reports Eight Deaths
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia hit a major oil refinery and the Engels airfield, according to Ukrainian statements, while Russian officials reported eight deaths from the attacks and described damage to civilian infrastructure in multiple regions.
Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Targets
Ukraine conducted overnight drone strikes that hit the Engels airfield in the Saratov region and the Saratov oil refinery. President Zelensky described the strikes on the Engels airfield in Saratov region and the Saratov oil refinery as "our long-range sanctions" against facilities financing Russia's war. The Ukrainian military said the attack triggered a blaze at the airfield, a base for Tu-95MC and Tu-160 bombers used against Ukraine. An oil depot was also struck in Kaluga region and a drone launch site in Bryansk. [1] Ukrainian drones targeted a Wildberries warehouse in the Samara region, some 800 kilometres from the Russian-Ukrainian border, where a fire broke out with no casualties reported. [3] These Ukraine strikes formed part of a broader campaign that also reached industrial sites across several Russian regions.
Russian Claims of Drone Interceptions and Retaliation
Russia said its air defences shot down or intercepted 635 Ukrainian drones, including over occupied Crimea and the Black and Azov Seas. Moscow separately reported attacking two Ukrainian ports and two vessels in the Black Sea, with Shahed drones striking port infrastructure in Mykolaiv Oblast and damaging two civilian vessels. [1] [4] Russia attacked Ukraine with 133 drones during the night, 24 of which hit targets. [3] Both sides have intensified attacks on energy facilities, warehouses and major cities in recent weeks while the front line remains static.
Hazardous substance leak reported in Poltava Oblast following Russian attack. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Casualties and Damage in Russia
Russian officials reported eight deaths from Ukrainian strikes: two in the Saratov region from a drone attack on civilian infrastructure in Engels and Saratov, three in a strike on a civilian vehicle in Udmurtia, and three in the Belgorod region. [1] A fire also broke out at a Wildberries warehouse in Samara region with no casualties reported there. [1] In the Udmurt Republic, three civilians died and two more were wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on a civilian car. [3] In Russia’s Bashkortostan region, air defence repelled a large-scale drone strike on industrial facilities in the city of Ufa, where a blaze was being put out.
Russian Attacks on Ukraine and Aftermath
In Ukraine, one person was killed in a Russian strike on a postal terminal near Kharkiv that destroyed a Nova Poshta hub. [1] A separate Russian attack killed one in Zaporizhzhia. [3] A strike on a critical infrastructure facility in Poltava Oblast caused a hazardous chemical leak that was later contained after chemical protection experts sealed the damaged containers. [2] Rozetka said its largest warehouse was hit by Russian drones overnight with no injuries reported. [1] One person died as a Russian guided bomb struck a residential building in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia. [3]
Ukrainian drone strike sets Wildberries warehouse ablaze in Samara region of Russia. — Source: france24
Context of the Escalating Aerial Campaign
Both Russia and Ukraine have recently intensified attacks focusing on major cities, energy facilities and warehouses, as the vast front line remains virtually static and US-led mediation attempts to end the war have shown no breakthrough. [1] In recent weeks, Ukraine has hit over a dozen Wildberries depots in under two weeks, describing them as legitimate targets supplying the Russian military. [1] [3] Ukraine's attacks are reported to have had a serious impact on the Russian economy, especially on hundreds of small and mid-sized businesses using the retailer. [1] Russia has been recently targeting warehouses of Ukraine's Nova Poshta postal company and major online retailers like Rozetka. [1]
Impacts on Logistics Networks
Ukraine has struck a number of Wildberries logistics hubs, with the campaign first hitting sites in Elektrostal and the Tambov region on July 18 before following on facilities across western and southern Russia as well as Russian-held Crimea. [3] Wildberries employs some 48,000 people and is often described as Russia's Amazon. [1] Meanwhile, Russia has targeted Ukrainian postal and retail warehouses, including a second attack on the largest Rozetka warehouse in Brovary in less than 24 hours. [5] These exchanges have forced companies such as Nova Poshta to reorganise logistics operations.
What to watch next: Russian air defences continue to report interceptions of Ukrainian drones while Moscow maintains strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and postal facilities.
