A new wave of devastating air strikes rocked Ukraine and Russia in the early hours of today, July 15, 2026. After midnight, the two sides exchanged massive attacks with ballistic missiles, guided bombs and drones, targeting key civilian and logistical facilities. The situation remains critical as of 5:00 a.m. Bulgarian time, with rescue teams in both countries continuing to deal with the consequences of falling debris and direct hits.
Russian strike in Ukraine: Air defenses under strain
In the hours after midnight, Russian forces launched a new combined offensive against Ukrainian cities, increasing pressure on the country's air defense systems. According to initial reports from the Ukrainian military:
- Attacks over the capital: Russia has launched a total of eight ballistic missiles (including the “Iskander-M“ and S-400 systems), as well as over 135 attack drones of various modifications.
- Air Defense Success: Ukrainian air defense managed to intercept 5 of the ballistic missiles and 108 drones in the northern, southern and central parts of the country.
- Civilian sites hit: Debris and detonated devices hit a total of 17 locations, including civilian warehouses, suburban residential areas, and educational infrastructure.
- Affected regions: Serious damage and injured civilians are reported in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhia and Dnipro regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again appealed to international partners for urgent delivery of missiles for the Patriot systems, emphasizing that the delay costs the lives of innocent citizens.
Ukrainian response: Blockade in the Sea of Azov and strikes on the Russian rear
In response to the constant missile terror, the Ukrainian Deep Strike Forces (Deep Strike) have intensified their drone operations on Russian territory and in the occupied waters. The night after midnight was marked by heavy blows to Russia's worn and military capacity:
- Logistical paralysis in the Sea of Azov: The commander of the Ukrainian drone forces, Robert Brovdy (“Madjar“), announced successful night attacks against 11 more Russian ships from the so-called “shadow fleet“ – including five oil tankers and five cargo ships in the Sea of Azov. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture has officially confirmed that it is looking for alternative routes for grain exports due to the blocked shipping through the Kerch Strait.
- Fires in Russian refineries: Kamikaze drones caused large-scale fires at the “Afipsky“ refinery in the Krasnodar Territory, as well as at the large industrial complex in Salavat (Bashkortostan), located over 1,400 km from the border.
- Tensions around Moscow: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it had intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours, with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirming that dozens of them had been shot down on the outskirts of the Russian capital, prompting temporary air traffic restrictions.
The Humanitarian Balance and the UN
This morning's escalation comes on the heels of a startling report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). The organization warns that mid-2026 has recorded the highest number of civilian casualties since the beginning of the conflict in 2022, with the use of long-range weapons and heavy ballistic missiles in densely populated urban areas increasing civilian casualties by over 37% year-on-year.
The editorial team continues to monitor the situation in real time. Expect updated information and official data on the exact number of victims and injured immediately after the completion of rescue operations on the ground.