Russia struck Odesa port as Moscow, Kyiv report large-scale overnight attack PHOTO/VIDEO

18 July 2026 10:56

Russia and Ukraine reported large-scale overnight attacks on July 18, with Moscow saying its air defences intercepted 379 Ukrainian drones and Kyiv reporting Russian missile and drone strikes across the country.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the drones were shot down over multiple regions, including Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga, Tula, Tambov, Oryol, Lipetsk, Tver, Pskov, Voronezh, Rostov, Volgograd, Leningrad and Vladimir, as well as the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai and the waters of the Azov and Black seas, Caliber.Az reports.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 370 Ukrainian drones had been heading toward the Moscow region since the evening of July 17. Most were intercepted at a distance, while 64 were shot down as they approached Moscow.

Russia’s Defence Ministry also said its forces struck port infrastructure in Odesa used to unload and store fuel and lubricants. It said a container ship unloading ammunition was hit at the port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region, while a dry cargo vessel carrying supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces was struck near Zmiinyi Island.

The Ministry of Defence also has released data on the “Geran-4 Siker” and “Gerbera-Siker” drones that struck a container ship in the Black Sea that was being used to transport military cargo on behalf of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukraine, meanwhile, said Russia attacked the country overnight with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, two Oniks anti-ship missiles, three guided air-to-surface missiles and 90 strike and decoy drones.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces said the Odesa region was the main target.

According to preliminary data, air defences intercepted one guided missile and 69 drones. Missile strikes and 19 attack drones were recorded at 19 locations, while debris from downed drones was found at five sites.

“The attack is ongoing; there are several Russian UAVs in the airspace. Please observe safety precautions!” the Ukrainian Armed Forces said.

Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of a Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces unit, said 172 vessels had been struck over the previous 13 days. He said that on July 18, Ukrainian forces attacked eight dry cargo ships, one tanker, one gas tanker, one tugboat and two floating cranes in the Black and Azov seas.