***Russia Strikes Ukrainian Ports and Airspace***
Early Tuesday morning, Russian airstrikes targeted and damaged the port infrastructure in Izmail, Ukraine. Simultaneously, Russian authorities claimed to have shot down four Ukrainian drones heading towards Moscow.
Izmail, located in the southern Odessa region of Ukraine, is home to the largest port on the Danube River and has been a frequent target of strategic attacks. Local officials on Telegram reported that the port infrastructure in Izmail was damaged, with almost all airstrike weapons destroyed. Thankfully, there were no casualties or significant losses.
In addition, a post on Telegram showed firefighters battling a large fire at a building where windows were blown out by an explosion.
The mayor of Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine, Igor Terekhov, stated on Telegram that the city had been attacked by Russian drones. While two people have been rescued, one individual may still be trapped under the rubble.
Local authorities have reported drone attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy recently highlighted on social media that Russia’s oil refining capacity has decreased by 10% over the last few months, with some Russian oil wells forced to shut down. He further pointed out that under Ukrainian pressure, Russia’s fiscal deficit for the first five months of the year has exceeded the annual forecast. Despite some war funds accumulated by Putin, they are insufficient to sustain an indefinite conflict. “Together with our allies, we will continue to counter and exert pressure, ultimately forcing Russia to end the war.”
Over the weekend, Ukraine launched numerous drone attacks on Moscow, targeting the region’s oil facilities and military semiconductor manufacturing plants, resulting in multiple injuries. In retaliation, Russia launched missile and drone strikes against Odessa and Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine, causing dozens of injuries and structural damage to several residences.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on Telegram that four Ukrainian drones bound for Moscow had been shot down, with emergency response teams deployed. However, no further details were provided.
Furthermore, the operational command center in Kursk, a Russian region bordering Ukraine, reported that a woman had died due to a Ukrainian military attack on Monday night, with two others injured.
Russian authorities confirmed on Telegram that southern Rostov, Yaroslavl in the northeast of Moscow, and several central regions were also targeted by Ukrainian drone attacks.
The mayor of the Russian oil stronghold Yaroslavl, Mikhail Yevrayev, disclosed that an industrial facility in the area was damaged in the drone attack, with rescue teams engaged in firefighting efforts. However, Yevrayev did not reveal the specific name of the damaged facility.
(*Based on Reuters*)