Ukraine Strikes Kill Five in Russia's Belgorod as Moscow Attacks Hit Kharkiv and Odesa
Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight strikes that killed seven civilians and injured dozens on both sides, with Russian attacks hitting residential areas in Kharkiv and Odesa while Ukraine strikes struck targets in Russia's Belgorod region and elsewhere.
Overnight Strikes Kill Seven Civilians Across Both Sides
Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight strikes that killed seven civilians and injured dozens on both sides. [2] In Ukraine, Russian missile and drone attacks hit Kharkiv and Odesa, killing two people and injuring at least 21 others, according to local authorities. [2] Meanwhile, in Russia's Belgorod region, Ukraine strikes killed five people and injured about two dozen others, including a four-year-old boy, according to regional authorities. [2] The strikes damaged 29 apartment buildings, five private houses, administrative buildings and commercial facilities, authorities said. [2] Debris from Ukrainian drones also fell on two enterprises and a private home in the Russian city of Novorossiysk. [2]
Russian Missile Hits Apartment Building in Kharkiv
In Kharkiv, a Russian missile struck a high-rise apartment building in the Saltivskyi district, killing two people and injuring 13, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said. [2] Russian forces attacked Kharkiv, damaging an infrastructure facility on the afternoon of 9 August. [1] Ihor Terekhov, Kharkiv Mayor, initially said the strike hit an industrial area in Kharkiv's Nemyshlianskyi district, but later said the site of the strike was in the city's Industrialnyi district. [1] As of 18:00, there have been no reports of casualties from that infrastructure strike. [1] Large-scale Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities have become almost routine over the past few weeks, with Moscow exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the US-made Patriot systems. [3]
Russian strikes damaged residential buildings in Kharkiv, killing civilians overnight. — Source: timesofindia
Attacks on Odesa Damage Energy Infrastructure
In Odesa, Russian missiles and drones injured eight people and damaged energy infrastructure, causing electricity, water, and communications problems. [2] Eight more people were injured in Ukraine’s Port of Odesa after “dozens of missiles and drones” struck the city and surrounding region, local administration head Oleh Kiper said. [3] Russian forces launched a missile strike on Odesa on the night of 8-9 August, injuring eight people. [1] The attack also damaged energy infrastructure, leaving parts of Odesa without electricity. [1] The city is also experiencing problems with water supply and communications. [1] On the night of 8-9 August, the Russian attack also hit and damaged civilian infrastructure facilities and a German-owned company in Zhytomyr Oblast. [1]
Ukrainian Drones Strike Belgorod and Novorossiysk
Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia's Belgorod region killed five civilians, injured about two dozen others including a four-year-old boy, and damaged 29 apartment buildings plus other structures. [2] Debris from Ukrainian drones damaged enterprises and a home in Novorossiysk, injuring one person. [2] Mayor Andrey Kravchenko said one person was later injured, while two private houses and a window in an apartment building were damaged. [2] Novorossiysk is home to a major fuel terminal that connects Kazakhstan's oil fields with international markets and has previously been targeted by Ukrainian strikes. [2] Ukraine has continued long-range drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and other targets deep inside Russia. [2] The strikes have contributed to fuel shortages and have also targeted the country's largest online retailer, Wildberries, among other sites. [2]
Ukraine Targets Russian S-400 System and Shadow Fleet
Ukrainian forces struck an S-400 air defense system in Russia's Krasnodar region hours after it fired missiles at Ukraine, causing a three-hour fire. [5] Ukrainian drones struck an S-400 "Triumph" anti-aircraft missile launch pad in Russia's Krasnodar region on the night of Aug. 8, hours after it had fired missiles at Ukraine, the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces announced on Telegram. [5] The system had launched six missiles on the morning of Aug. 8, according to Robert Brovdi, known by the call sign "Madyar." [5] The S-400 position in Gelendzhik was ablaze and sputtering for three hours, Madyar wrote. [5] Madyar also highlighted that his drone forces had recently destroyed several other air defense systems in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and Rostov region, as well as two radar stations in Rostov region. [5] Madyar added that three vessels of the Russian shadow fleet were hunted down in the Black Sea, listing one oil tanker and two cargo ships. [5]
Russian Claims and Regional Incidents
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its strikes targeted drone warehouses in Kharkiv region and fuel depots at Odesa's port, and that it shot down 153 Ukrainian drones. [2] Russia’s Ministry of Defense yesterday said its overnight strikes hit drone warehouses in the Kharkiv region, as well as fuel depots and stores of other materiel belonging to Ukraine’s armed forces at the Port of Odesa. [3] It said its forces had shot down 153 Ukrainian drones during the night. [3] One person was killed and five others were injured in Russian attacks on 9 August in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast's Nikopol district. [4] Oleksandr Hanzha, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, said the enemy has attacked four districts of the region nearly 40 times using drones, artillery and aerial bombs. [4] In Nikopol district, Russian forces struck the city of Nikopol and the Marhanets and Pokrovske hromadas. [4] Houses, a five-storey building, an outbuilding, a garage, a car and a bus were damaged. [4] Moldovan police also reported a “powerful explosion” in the village of Crocmaz in the country's southeast, close to the Ukrainian border. [2] The blast, believed to have been caused by a combat drone, triggered a vegetation fire in the Stefan Voda district. [2] No one was injured, while police said fragments of a combat drone were found at the site and would be examined by specialists. [2]
What to watch next: Ukrainian forces have increased the frequency of attacks and interceptions against shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea since declaring them to be military targets on July 1, accompanied by more interceptions by the EU and specific European countries along with new sanctions.
