Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- 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
- Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv for her 11th visit since Russia’s full-scale invasion
- She said the EU would announce new steps to integrate European and Ukrainian defense industries
Here is a roundup of DW’s coverage of developments regarding Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday, July 15:
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Skip next section Von der Leyen visits Kyiv with focus on defense ties07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Von 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 Zelensky 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.”
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H7oVSkip next section Russian strikes on Odesa kill 307/15/2026July 15, 2026
Russian 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, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Richard Connor | Wesley Rahn Editor
Thank 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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