Russian Attack on Odesa Kills 3 as Ukraine Strikes Ships in Black Sea

By Reuters July 15, 2026 A building in Odesa damaged in a Russian attack on July 15, 2026. State Emergency Service of Ukraine / Telegram Russia and Ukraine stepped up their battle over the Black Sea and key trade routes on Wednesday, with Russian forces killing three people in an attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and Kyiv's drone forces striking Russian shipping. Odesa region Governor Oleh Kiper said Russian drone and missile strikes on the southern region continued for a fifth day, with civilian, industrial and port infrastructure coming under attack. Three people were killed and at least three others were injured after a Russian missile hit a seven-story residential building in Odesa, Ukrainian authorities said. In a statement, Russia's Defense Ministry said it continued overnight strikes on Ukrainian ports it claimed were handling cargoes for the Ukrainian military. It said a number of targets in the ports of Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk port had been hit, as well as four vessels it said were delivering cargoes for Ukraine's forces in the ports of Chornomorsk and Dnipro-Buh. Meanwhile, Ukraine's top drone commander said Wednesday that Kyiv hit 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight. The Ukrainian attacks have forced Russia, the world's top grain exporter, to restrict shipping in the Sea of Azov — a route that handles about a quarter of its grain exports, sources told Reuters. Shipping remained restricted on Tuesday, they said. Read more about: Ukraine war , Odesa , Black Sea Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Drone Struck Civilian Cargo Ship in Black Sea, Ukraine Claims Odesa region Governor Oleh Kiper said several crew members of the Panamanian-flagged ship were wounded in the attack. 1 Min read Turkish Ship Damaged in Russian Strike on Ukraine's Odesa Region The strike came hours after Turkey's Erdoğan had raised the issue of strikes on port infrastructure personally with Putin. 2 Min read Ukraine Says Russia Struck Civilian Ship Entering Port in Odesa Region "Three crew members, citizens of the Philippines, were injured, one of them was hospitalized. The pilot was killed and another port worker was injured... 1 Min read Kyiv Says 60K Tons of Grain Destroyed in Odesa Attack For two nights in a row, Russia has hit Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea after backing out of a grain deal that allowed the safe passage of cargo ships... 1 Min read