Ukrainian authorities reported that six civilians were killed on Thursday in Russian strikes in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions. In the front-line city of Balakliya, in the Kharkiv region, three people were killed when rockets struck homes. Vitalii Karabanov, head of the military administration, said two women and a man were among the victims. Emergency workers worked to extinguish fires and clear debris from the damaged buildings.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its air defences intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight. These attacks have continued to target Russian and occupied territories, with Moscow reporting ongoing damage to infrastructure and military assets. Despite Russia’s claims of air superiority, the persistence of drone strikes remains a challenge for its military.
In northern Ukraine’s Sumy region, three more civilians were killed and at least 19 others were injured in Russian attacks. Local police confirmed the use of guided aerial bombs in the city of Sumy, adding to the casualties. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were wounded, and in the southern Kherson region, a drone strike on a van left six injured, according to local officials.
A foreign-flagged ship transporting wheat was damaged in a Russian attack in the Black Sea, killing a crew member and causing a fire. The vessel, the Mera Queen, flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was struck near Ukraine’s coast late on Wednesday. Oleh Kiper, Odesa regional governor, confirmed the attack, part of a broader campaign to disrupt maritime trade. Ukraine’s seaport administration also confirmed the damage.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for over a month, aiming to strangle trade and export routes. The Mera Queen attack is part of a pattern of nearly daily assaults on key infrastructure, particularly in the grain and agricultural sectors.
A logistics centre operated by Wildberries, Russia’s largest e-commerce company, was damaged in a drone strike overnight, according to reports. The facility in Tver region northwest of Moscow suffered only minor damage. The attack followed another warehouse hit in the area, highlighting the growing threat to civilian infrastructure in Russia.
Since July 18, at least 20 Wildberries warehouses have been damaged in drone strikes, according to authorities. Kyiv has accused the company of supporting the war by supplying dual-use items. Russia has not officially responded to the accusations. As both sides intensify strikes on each other’s resources, the scale of destruction continues to affect civilians and commercial operations.