July 2026 became worst month for civilian casualties in Ukraine since the first month of full-scale war
July 2026 resulted in to become the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since March 2022, with at least 437 people killed and 2,610 injured, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported on August 13.
Civilian casualties rose 30% from June and 70% compared with July 2025. Children were also hit particularly hard, with 17 killed and 166 injured — the highest monthly figure since April 2022.
Long-range Russian missiles and drones caused most casualties, with Kyiv recording at least 54 deaths and 202 injuries. Russia launched at least 429 missiles in July, while Ukraine intercepted only 29 of 195 ballistic missiles. The U.N. said casualties from aerial attacks surged 143% compared with June.
Russia builds another tanker to circumvent sanctions via northern seas
Russia's second newly built ice-class LNG tanker, Konstantin Posiet, has departed Primorsky Krai and headed toward the Northern Sea Route, Reuters reported on August 14.
Built at the Zvezda shipyard, the vessel is intended to serve Russia's sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, potentially helping Moscow circumvent Western sanctions. LSEG data indicates the tanker is due to arrive at an undisclosed destination on Aug. 30.
The Arc7-class tanker can operate through ice up to two meters thick, allowing Russia to transport LNG along the shorter Northern Sea Route. Zvezda was originally contracted to build 15 such tankers for Arctic LNG 2, but Western sanctions have delayed the program.
Ukraine hit key Roscosmos facility with Flamingo missiles and struck Savasleyka airbase
Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Savasleyka military airbase and a key Roscosmos (State Corporation for Space Activities) facility in Samara Oblast using domestically produced Flamingo missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky said the Savasleyka airbase, about 700 kilometers from Ukraine, hosts Russian aircraft used to launch missile strikes against Ukrainian cities. Ukraine also struck the Progress Rocket Space Center in Samara, about 900 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, which produces electronics and other equipment for Russia's space industry.
The extent of the damage could not be independently verified. The strikes come amid an intensifying Ukrainian campaign against Russian military and industrial infrastructure, including recent attacks on the Ust-Luga port and the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery complex.