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Ukraine: Three dead as Russia intensifies attacks on Odesea
Ukraine: Kyiv and EU agree on new drone production deal
Richard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa, ReutersPublished 07/15/2026Published July 15, 2026last updated 07/15/2026last updated July 15, 2026Ukraine and the EU have agreed on a drone deal combining Kyiv’s know-how with the bloc's scale-up power. Meanwhile, Russian attacks caused more fatalities in Odesa as Moscow increasingly targets the port.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7gRWhat you need to know
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Some of the top headlines regarding the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine from Wednesday, July 15, 2026, included:
- Ukraine and the EU agreed on a drone deal to combine Ukraine's expertise with the bloc's industrial capacity
- European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal during a visit to Kyiv
- Russian strikes have hit the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in southern Ukraine
- Three people were killed in Odesa and at least four others were injured
- Officials said civilian, industrial and port infrastructure came under attack
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Skip next section Ukrainian Defense Minister Federov announces resignation amid Cabinet reshuffle07/15/2026July 15, 2026Ukrainian Defense Minister Federov announces resignation amid Cabinet reshuffle
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Wednesday night that he was resigning as part of the Cabinet reshuffle triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The 35-year-old tech expert had been in the role for six months.
"It was a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people as defense minister," he wrote on Telegram in a lengthy post listing the achievements of his ministry.
In particular, he hailed the production and deployment of drones to defend against Russian advances.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not yet publicly endorsed a replacement for the defense minister.
But members of the Ukrainian parliament posted on social media that Zelenskyy would appoint Ihor Klymenko, who has served as interior minister since 2023.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HBD3Skip next section WATCH: Can Finland challenge Russia’s Arctic nuclear stronghold?07/15/2026July 15, 2026WATCH: Can Finland challenge Russia’s Arctic nuclear stronghold?
Killian BayerRussia’sKola Peninsula hosts key elements of Moscow’s nuclear deterrent, including ballistic missile submarines and Arctic military forces. Yet the region relies on a single highway and railway linking it to the rest of Russia. Experts interviewed in this video argue that Finland’s NATO membership has created a new strategic challenge for the Kremlin, giving the alliance more options in a potential conflict. The report also examines Finland’s military capabilities and Russia’s efforts to reinforce its Arctic defenses and logistics infrastructure.
Why tiny Finland is a problem for Russia's nuclear fleet
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HAMHSkip next section Zelenskyy endorses energy boss Koretskyi for PM07/15/2026July 15, 2026Zelenskyy endorses energy boss Koretskyi for PM
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has endorsed Sergii Koretskyi, the chair of the board of state energy company Naftogaz, to be the country's next prime minister.
"The priorities are clear — preparing for winter," Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.
"Therefore, following all the consultations, Sergii Koretskyi is surely the most prepared candidate for the post of prime minister of Ukraine."
If approved by the parliement, Koretsky would replace Yulia Svyrydenko, who resigned this week as Zelenskyy moves to make "necessary changes to the Ukrainian government."
The prime minister's resignation also automatically triggers the resignation of the cabinet, and a reshuffle is expected. Zelenskyy has not yet publicly endorsed a candidate for the key position of defense minister.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HACuSkip next section Russia threatens mooted multinational Ukraine force07/15/2026July 15, 2026Russia threatens mooted multinational Ukraine force
Russia has said any multinational force deployed to Ukraine by its allies after a peace agreement would be treated as a threat and a legitimate military target.
Western countries in the pro-Ukraine "Coalition of the Willing" reaffirmed plans at talks in Paris this week to deploy such a force after hostilities end.
The proposed Multinational Force for Ukraine is intended to reassure Kyiv and help it rebuild its military capacity following a ceasefire.
Coalition members also said exercises would be held in the coming months to demonstrate the force's ability to operate.
"The deployment of any military contingents from countries of the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' to Ukraine is unacceptable to our country," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters.
She described such a deployment as "foreign intervention" and an escalation of threats to Russian security.
"We would regard such units as legitimate military targets," Zakharova said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HA7nSkip next section Ukrainian forces say they struck Crimea power plant07/15/2026July 15, 2026Ukrainian forces say they struck Crimea power plant
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces have said they struck a major thermal power plant in Russian-occupied Crimea, potentially damaging equipment that could take months to repair.
The force said its resistance movement and Deep Strike units targeted the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant in Sevastopol overnight into July 14.
According to preliminary information cited by the Special Operations Forces, the attack damaged the turbine hall and the cooling system of one of the plant's Siemens turbines.
Repairs could take between two and five months if pumping equipment was also damaged, it said.
The Special Operations Forces described the plant as a cornerstone of Crimea's energy system, saying it accounts for almost 50% of the electricity generated on the peninsula.
Together with the Tavriya Thermal Power Plant in Simferopol, it supplies around 90% of Crimea's electricity consumption, according to the statement.
The claims and extent of the reported damage have not been independently verified.
Is Ukraine turning Russia's size into a disadvantage?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H9yUSkip next section Germany makes apparent U-turn on Ukraine exercise07/15/2026July 15, 2026Germany makes apparent U-turn on Ukraine exercise
Germany appears to have decided to take part in the first military exercise organized by the "Coalition of the Willing," reversing an earlier indication that it would stay out.
Government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said Germany's participation would be discussed at a meeting of the Franco-German Security and Defence Council on Friday.
"Germany will take part in this exercise. The federal government is examining what form that participation will take," Kornelius told the DPA news agency.
Government sources had said on Tuesday that Germany would not participate.
The coalition of around 35 countries supporting Ukraine unexpectedly agreed at a meeting in Paris on Monday to hold the first exercises involving the planned multinational force.
The European-led force is being assembled to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. The first exercise is due to take place in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine.
It is expected to be a relatively small drill focused initially on testing command structures and decision-making procedures.
Ukraine calls on allies to help with air defenses
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H9qkSkip next section EU requires male Ukrainian refugees to show they have fulfilled military service07/15/2026July 15, 2026EU requires male Ukrainian refugees to show they have fulfilled military service
European Union countries have extended temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine by one year, until March 2028, while introducing an additional requirement for new applicants.
People applying for the status will have to prove that they have complied with Ukraine's military service obligations, the EU said in a statement on Wednesday.
"To receive temporary protection, persons displaced from Ukraine will have to prove compliance with their military obligations," the statement said.
The requirement will apply only to new applicants and will not affect Ukrainians who already hold temporary protection in the EU.
Ukraine recruits female prisoners for frontline fighting
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H8U9Skip next section Russian strikes cut Ukraine's grain export capacity07/15/2026July 15, 2026Russian strikes cut Ukraine's grain export capacity
Ukraine has lost roughly a third of its grain export capacity through its crucial Black Sea ports as Russia intensifies missile and drone attacks on infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, or UAC, said the ports in the Odesa region can now handle about 4 million metric tons of grain a month, down from roughly 6 million tons previously.
"Russia has begun systematically striking port infrastructure, terminals and the entire transport logistics chain, using ballistic missiles again and again," the farmers' group said in a weekly report released late Tuesday.
Agricultural exports, including grain and vegetable oils, remain Ukraine's largest source of foreign currency earnings more than four years into Russia's full-scale invasion. More than 90% of those goods are shipped through three ports in the Odesa region.
Ukraine has accounted for about 6% of global wheat exports and 11% of corn exports in recent seasons, meaning prolonged disruption could also affect international markets.
Ports remain operational, but the UAC warned that continued attacks without sufficient repairs could cause extensive infrastructure damage within several months.
Ukraine's deputy economy minister Taras Vysotskiy said Kyiv would do everything possible to protect its seaports and guarantee grain exports at no less than last season's levels, during talks held on Wednesday to discuss the attacks and their impact on port operations.
Ukraine's desperate search for farm labor
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H9QmSkip next section Ukraine and EU seal bloc-wide drone production deal07/15/2026July 15, 2026Ukraine and EU seal bloc-wide drone production deal
Ukraine and the European Union have agreed on a new "drone deal" combining Kyiv's battlefield expertise with the EU's industrial capacity to expand production.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the agreement during a speech in Kyiv marking Ukraine's Statehood Day.
"We need to combine our strengths," she said. "This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale."
Ukraine has built a sophisticated drone industry since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, transforming a sector in which it previously had limited expertise.
Kyiv has already signed similar agreements with individual countries. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three more at last week's NATO summit in Ankara, bringing the total to nine. The deal is the first bloc-wide arrangement and involves countries and companies across the EU.
"The knowledge you have gained on how to work drone and anti-drone systems is truly unique," von der Leyen told Zelenskyy.
"We must tap into this together. Because we know the threats that Europe faces in this area — we have seen incursions and alerts across many member states," she added.
Von der Leyen said the EU could offer Ukraine vast technological and industrial capacity, as well as secure production sites.
Drone warfare: German startup draws on Ukraine's experience
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H8hDSkip next section Von der Leyen's visit 'shaped by one central theme'07/15/2026July 15, 2026Von der Leyen's visit 'shaped by one central theme'
Katharina Kroll in KyivA blue sky with light clouds hung over Kyiv Wednesday as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stepped off an overnight train at the central railway station.
She was welcomed with flowers by Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign affairs minister, before beginning a packed day.
Von der Leyen arrives in a city that has been under some of the heaviest Russian bombardments of the war in recent days. Residential buildings have been hit, fires have broken out across the capital, and civilians have been killed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to present von der Leyen with the Order of Europe, a distinction recently established by the president as part of Ukraine's Constitution Day commemorations. The award recognizes outstanding personal contributions to supporting Ukraine’s strategic course toward full membership in the European Union.
The entire visit appears to be shaped by one central theme: the growing integration of Ukraine and the European Union.
As Kyiv continues its push toward EU membership, Brussels has responded with the opening of the second negotiation cluster steps in the accession process.
Several EU member states insist that accession rules must be applied strictly. In particular, concerns remain over corruption and the implementation of rule-of-law reforms.
Still, the political message from von der Leyen is expected to repeat what she said during her first visit shortly after the start of the war, that "Ukraine belongs to the European family."
EU releases €3.2 billion from Ukraine recovery fund
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H8JNSkip next section Russian guided bombs kill 3 in Sumy region07/15/2026July 15, 2026Russian guided bombs kill 3 in Sumy region
A Russian attack has killed at least three people and wounded 17 others in Ukraine's northern Sumy region.
Regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said Russian forces launched six guided aerial bombs during the daytime assault.
One bomb struck near medical facilities, while others appeared to hit infrastructure, according to preliminary information.
"Three people were killed and 17 were wounded," Hryhorov said.
He said a woman and a man were among those killed. A third victim suffered such severe injuries that authorities were initially unable to determine the person's gender.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H8PjSkip next section Von der Leyen visits Kyiv with focus on defense ties07/15/2026July 15, 2026Von der Leyen visits Kyiv with focus on defense ties
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv for her 11th visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Von der Leyen said she would unveil new initiatives to bring the EU and Ukrainian defense industries closer together and accelerate production.
"It's a special moment," she wrote on X after arriving in the Ukrainian capital. "Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning."
"I will announce new initiatives to integrate our defense industries. So we can produce more, and faster," she said.
"We will also discuss accession and preparations for this winter."
The EU is advancing accession negotiations with Kyiv, although Ukraine is not expected to complete the process before the next decade.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also due to present von der Leyen with the Order of Europe.
Her spokeswoman said the award recognizes "outstanding personal merit in helping Ukraine defend its independence and the security of all of Europe."
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7oVSkip next section Russian strikes on Odesa kill 307/15/2026July 15, 2026Russian strikes on Odesa kill 3
Russian forces have struck port and residential infrastructure across Ukraine's southern Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, killing three people and injuring at least four others.
The attack on Odesa hit residential buildings, killing three people and leaving three more with moderate injuries, city military administration chief Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram. The wounded were taken to the hospital.
Odesa regional Governor Oleh Kiper said Russia's "massive" combined drone and missile assault had continued for a fifth consecutive day, targeting civilian, industrial and port infrastructure.
In the neighboring Mykolaiv region, a Russian drone strike on port facilities injured one man early on Wednesday, regional Governor Vitaliy Kim said.
Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed carrying out a combined attack on the Odesa region using air-launched precision weapons and combat drones.
Moscow said it targeted fuel storage tanks and loading facilities allegedly used by the Ukrainian military at the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk, as well as a drone production site.
Odesa has repeatedly come under Russian attack because of its strategic role as a major Black Sea port. Civilians have frequently been killed in strikes on the city since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7j9Skip next section Welcome to our coverage07/15/2026July 15, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Richard Connor | Wesley Rahn EditorThank you for joining us as we bring you the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine.
First, let's take a look at what happened on Tuesday, when Russia launched another major attack on Kyiv, firing ballistic missiles and drones at the Ukrainian capital.
Air defenses intercepted five ballistic missiles, but other weapons struck the city, damaging warehouses and a school and starting fires in at least two districts.
Ukraine, meanwhile, carried out long-range drone attacks on two Russian oil refineries.
One strike targeted an industrial facility in Salavat, in the republic of Bashkortostan, more than 1,400 kilometers from the front. Russian officials reported fires and smoke but said there were no casualties.
At sea, Ukraine said it struck tankers and cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, in the latest strikes on Russian commercial shipping. Moscow's Agriculture Ministry said "alternative shipping routes" were being sought.
In Paris, around 500 troops from countries belonging to the "Coalition of the Willing" marched in the annual Bastille Day parade.
Ukrainian troops were cheered along the Champs-Elysees, while Ukrainian and French pilots flew Mirage 2000B fighter jets overhead. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders.
The display followed a summit at which Ukraine and nine partner countries announced plans to develop a shared European shield against ballistic missiles, as Kyiv seeks additional protection from intensifying Russian attacks.
Ukraine also entered a period of political change after parliament approved Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko's resignation. President Zelenskyy ordered the government reshuffle, saying Ukraine needed to adjust its political strategy to meet new challenges. He had not yet named her replacement.
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