Ukraine strikes Crimea railway hub, targets Russian oil tankers

Ukraine launched a significant overnight assault targeting a crucial railway hub in Kerch, Crimea, and six Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, according to Ukrainian monitoring channels. The attacks, which began around 1 a.m., reportedly caused multiple fires near the Kerch railway station in eastern Crimea, a region annexed by Russia in 2014.

Satellite monitoring detected several hot spots in the area. Preliminary reports suggest damage to warehouses, railway infrastructure, and potentially the Kerch oil depot. Unverified information also indicated a strike on the nearby Kerchanskaia power station. Images purportedly showing drones over Kerch were published by the Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+.

The railway hub in Kerch has become a vital logistical point after repeated Ukrainian attacks disrupted other rail infrastructure across occupied Crimea. Separately, Ukrainian monitoring projects reported that drones hit six Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea. These incidents occurred just a day after Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces announced they had struck 147 Russian maritime vessels between July 6 and 16.

Ukrainian drones also reportedly targeted a pumping station and the Koktebel power station near the village of Koktebel in occupied Crimea, where a fire was reported. Earlier this week, Russian-installed authorities in northern Crimea imposed daily restrictions on mobile internet in Dzhankoi following drone and missile attacks on energy infrastructure. Kerch itself experienced widespread power outages on Wednesday amid the latest wave of Ukrainian attacks.