Click to see the full-size image
Russian and Ukrainian forces continued systematic long-range strikes against each other’s territory on July 21-22, expanding campaigns launched earlier in the month. Russian forces carried out new waves of attacks on port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa region and on logistical hubs, while Ukrainian strikes hit warehouses belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, as well as an oil depot and power facilities in multiple Russian regions.
Strikes on Ukraine
Overnight on July 21-22, Russian forces used a combined strike package that included one Iskander-M ballistic missile, three Kh-59/69 air-launched cruise missiles and 216 attack drones, Ukraine’s Air Force said. Targets were spread across eight Ukrainian regions.
At the Port of Odesa, a state-run commercial seaport, strikes hit infrastructure used to unload and store military cargo, along with fuel and lubricant tanks. At sea, roughly 9 miles and 33 miles southeast of Odesa, a dry cargo ship and a bulk carrier carrying supplies for the Ukrainian armed forces were struck. In Odesa, an attack hit a Nova Poshta logistics center used to store military goods. Near the village of Kovalivka, about 15 miles northwest of Odesa, a battery of the Neptune-2 coastal defense system was hit, destroying two launchers and a transport-loader vehicle.
During July 22, Russian forces launched additional strikes on Ukrainian ports and shipping. At the Port of Chornomorsk, a dry cargo vessel was struck while unloading supplies intended for the Ukrainian military, along with port infrastructure at a logistics hub and fuel storage tanks. In Odesa and the nearby settlement of Molodizhne, about 6 miles southwest of the city, attack drones hit three warehouses storing unmanned aerial vehicles destined for Ukrainian forces. In the evening, two more dry cargo vessels bound for Odesa and Chornomorsk were struck at sea.
Beyond the port area, strikes also hit targets in other Ukrainian regions. On the western edge of Kyiv, near the No. 3 House-Building Plant, five Iskander-M missiles were reported; Russia’s Defense Ministry said the targets were defense industry facilities involved in producing and storing medium- and long-range drones.
In Kryvyi Rih, the No. 2 gas distribution station was hit. In Sumy region, Geran drones struck a 330-kV substation in Zaruddia and a gas-processing unit in Yefremivka, Kharkiv region. Single and small groups of Geran drones also operated over Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
On the night of July 21, the Port of Odesa was also struck, with attacks on infrastructure used for unloading fuel and on fuel storage tanks intended for Ukrainian military supply. At the Port of Chornomorsk, a container ship unloading ammunition was hit. Near Snake Island, a dry cargo vessel carrying military supplies was struck at sea.
During July 21, a dry cargo vessel at the Port of Pivdennyi was hit, along with two dry cargo vessels carrying military cargo that were anchored off Odesa awaiting unloading.In Sumy, the Epicenter shopping mall, which reports said had been used to store equipment and weapons, caught fire. In Chernihiv, drones struck a building housing the regional military enlistment office.
Strikes on Russia
Russian air defense forces said they shot down 242 Ukrainian drones overnight over 17 Russian regions. Warehouse facilities belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online marketplace, were hit again. Drones struck distribution centers in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk in Stavropol Krai. Fifteen people were injured in the attacks, and authorities declared a state of emergency in Nevinnomyssk.
In Krasnodar Krai, 16 drones attacked the city of Armavir, sparking a fire at an oil depot covering about 8,600 square feet. In Yalta, a drone struck a multi-story residential building, injuring 17 people, three of them seriously. Ukrainian drones also targeted energy facilities along Crimea’s southern coast overnight.
On the night of July 21, Ukrainian drones hit power supply infrastructure in Crimea’s southern energy district, causing outages in several communities. Power was partially lost along the southern coast, and the situation remained difficult in the northwest and east of the peninsula. Electricity restrictions remained in effect across Crimea. That same night, a fire broke out at an industrial facility in Lipetsk covering about 27,000 square feet. The region declared a missile threat alert twice during the night.
Russian forces continue methodical pressure on port facilities in the Odesa region and on maritime supply routes used to support Ukrainian troops, using a wide range of weapons from ballistic missiles to attack drones. At the same time, strikes are targeting energy infrastructure, production facilities and warehouse networks deeper inside Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian forces, for their part, are widening the geographic scope of attacks on Russian targets, striking warehouse complexes, oil depots and power systems.
MORE ON THE TOPIC: