Over the past 24 hours, a wave of Russian drone and missile strikes has inflicted significant damage on civilian infrastructure, agricultural lands, and residential areas across several Ukrainian regions. Authorities report multiple casualties, widespread destruction, and ongoing emergency responses as attacks continue to escalate.
Odessa region
In the Izmail district of Odessa region, a critical infrastructure facility was damaged during a nocturnal assault by Shahed-type kamikaze drones. The Izmail District Administration confirmed on Facebook that the attack occurred during the night of July 16, resulting in a fire that emergency services are actively working to contain and extinguish. Despite the damage, officials report no casualties among the local population. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) highlights the evolving nature of threats in the region, targeting both military and civilian facilities to disrupt daily life and critical services.
Kharkiv region
The Kharkiv region faced relentless bombardment on July 15, with Russian forces targeting Kharkiv city and ten surrounding settlements. Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, reported that the attacks resulted in two fatalities and five injuries. Among the victims were elderly men in Kupiansk and the village of Prykolotne, while others suffered injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Russian forces employed a wide array of drones, including six Shahed-type, 29 Geran-2, two Molniya UAVs, three FPV drones, and one Kub-2 UAV, demonstrating a diversified and sustained aerial campaign. The Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv was hit by 16 drones alone. Beyond human casualties, significant material damage was recorded: three private homes in Kupiansk district were damaged, 30 hectares of wheat crops in Izium district were destroyed, and two vehicles were damaged in Chuhuiv district. These strikes severely impact the region’s civilian infrastructure and agricultural productivity, exacerbating humanitarian concerns.
Donetsk region
In Donetsk, the head of the regional administration, Vadym Filashkin, confirmed that 11 residents were injured on July 15 amid ongoing shelling and drone attacks. He stressed that official figures of over 3,300 killed and more than 7,500 injured do not account for the situation in frontline cities Mariupol and Volnovakha, where fighting remains intense. The persistent violence threatens to deepen the humanitarian crisis in the eastern industrial heartland of Ukraine.
Sumy region
The Sumy Regional Military Administration reported that Russian forces launched nearly 100 attacks on 33 settlements within a single day, July 15. The onslaught caused the death of a local resident born in 1975 in the Velykopysarivska community, alongside widespread destruction of private homes, farm buildings, and agricultural machinery. The Russian forces used a mix of artillery, guided aerial bombs, drone-dropped grenades, and multiple drone types to maintain pressure on this border region. Authorities evacuated 10 residents from vulnerable border communities as air raid alerts persisted for nearly 22 hours, underscoring the constant threat faced by civilians.
Kherson region
Kherson’s Regional State Administration head Oleksandr Prokudin detailed a series of strikes hitting dozens of settlements including Sadove, Antonivka, and Chornobaivka. The attacks damaged two apartment buildings, 10 private houses, a farm building, a garage, and private vehicles. Eight residents sustained injuries during the attacks. Overnight air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed one Shahed-131/136 drone, preventing further destruction. The sustained assault has heightened fears among civilians and complicated ongoing reconstruction efforts in this strategically vital region.
Dnipropetrovsk region
The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, led by Serhiy Lysak, reported massive drone and missile attacks overnight, with Kryvyi Rih suffering the most damage. A 17-year-old boy was seriously wounded and hospitalized. Fires erupted at an industrial enterprise and other infrastructure sites but were swiftly controlled by firefighters. Guided aerial bombs and drones also struck communities in the Synelnykove district, including Velykomykhailivska, Mykolaivska, and Mezhivska, damaging homes and vehicles.
The Nikopol area experienced combined artillery and drone attacks, affecting Nikopol city and neighboring communities such as Marganets and Pokrovska. Damage to a five-story building, a disused structure, and power lines disrupted utilities. Despite the intensity of the strikes, Ukrainian air defense units successfully shot down 16 drones overnight, mitigating potentially greater losses.
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia’s mayor, Serhiy Morgunov, confirmed eight people were hospitalized after a nighttime drone strike hit civilian infrastructure. Five of the injured were enterprise workers suffering burns of varying severity, including two with serious burns. Three passersby sustained minor injuries near the impact sites. Firefighters continue battling a persistent fire caused by the strike, as authorities investigate the full extent of the damage. The attack highlights the ongoing risks faced by civilians even in regions far from frontline combat.
