Russian Defense Ministry claims drones destroyed three ships carrying weapons to Ukraine

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that on 31 July 2026 three attack drones of the "Gryan" type struck three cargo vessels in the Black Sea south of Odessa, and a fourth vessel in the port of Chornomorsk, reporting that all targets were hit. The statement added that Russian forces also hit fuel tanks and oil‑processing facilities at the Odessa oil refinery.

On 1 August 2026 the ministry announced further high‑precision strikes on the ports of Odessa and Mykolaiv, damaging fuel and oil tanks that it said were intended for Ukrainian forces. The same briefing noted the liberation of two towns in the Zaporozhzhia and Kharkiv regions by Russian "Eastern" and "Western" units as part of the ongoing special military operation that began in February 2022.