Russia-Ukraine drone attacks scorch Ukrainian grain and strike Russian oil tankers

Russian forces have intensified the use of incendiary drones over Ukraine’s Kherson region, setting fire to wheat and other crops. Farmer Viktor Hordijenko reported that a single night’s attack burned about 2,000 hectares of wheat, while weekly drone sorties have risen to roughly 5,500, up from the previous year. The regional military administration said Russian drones launched about 32,000 grenades in June, and civilian deaths in the area rose 78 % to 28 since March, underscoring the growing toll on the agricultural sector that supplies much of Europe’s grain.

At the same time, Ukrainian drone units have stepped up strikes on Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea. On 15 July, drones hit two oil‑carrying tankers, Luiz 1 and Banda, which transport Russian crude in violation of sanctions. Ukrainian officials say the campaign, which has already targeted more than 100 vessels in the Azov Sea, aims to cut off revenue that funds Moscow’s war effort. The attacks on the tankers were part of a broader effort to disrupt Russian maritime logistics and weaken its ability to finance the conflict.