Russian missile and drone attacks killed at least six civilians and wounded 20 across Ukraine overnight into July 17, with Odesa bearing the heaviest toll as strikes killed two people and injured 10, including a woman walking with her children. Russia deployed more than 130 drones and eight missiles in the barrage, which also left two dead and five injured in Zaporizhzhia region and damaged three civilian-flagged vessels in Mykolaiv. Three more were injured in Kharkiv region shelling.
Ukraine responded with strikes of its own, hitting several Russian ships in the Black Sea, including nine cargo vessels, a tanker and a tugboat, and destroying a strategic Tu-95 bomber at Russia's Engels airbase. Kyiv's drone forces have attacked 159 Russian vessels since July 6.
The violence follows the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the UN. Russia's defence ministry said it downed 243 Ukrainian drones overnight.