Daily Briefing

Key Takeaways

• Ukraine's SBS drone forces expanded Operation 'MoLochka' into the Black Sea overnight, striking 20 Russian shadow fleet vessels (17 oil tankers, 2 gas tankers, 1 tugboat) — the first such large-scale Black Sea maritime strike — while the cumulative Azov Sea tally reached 116 ships over 9 days.
• Russia launched a fresh aviation missile strike on Odesa at dawn on July 15, killing 3 and wounding 3; overnight the Air Force also intercepted 101 of 122 drones and 2 Kh-59/69 missiles, with 18 drones and both missiles impacting 19 locations.
• France announced production licenses for Aster-30, SCALP, and AASM Hammer munitions to be transferred to Ukraine, plus a deal for 16 Rafale jets with first deliveries in 2028–29 — the most significant Western defense-industrial commitment to date.
• A bipartisan US Senate group pushed the late Sen. Graham's Russia sanctions bill targeting oil/gas buyers toward a floor vote; Trump signaled likely signature, potentially expanding scope to Iran and Hezbollah.
• The UN confirmed June 2026 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, a 37% year-on-year increase, as Ukraine's PM Shmyhal was dismissed in a Zelensky government reshuffle and Ukroboronprom chief Smetanin resigned after the Vinnytsia depot explosion.