Ukrainian defector to Russia killed in bomb attack, Kyiv targets oil refinery

A Russian naval officer named Robert Shageyev was killed in a bomb attack in Sevastopol, with a woman subsequently arrested on suspicion of carrying out the assassination on behalf of Ukrainian special services, according to the regional governor. Unofficial Russian Telegram channels reported Shageyev's name, noting that he had defected to Russia during the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Five people were also killed in Sevastopol during an operation to neutralize an explosive device, with four bomb disposal specialists and a security guard caught in the blast while clearing the area following a Ukrainian drone strike on the city. Russia's Defence Ministry announced that they had downed or intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, including Crimea.

Both sides have intensified their attacks in the fourth year of the ongoing conflict, with Ukraine increasingly targeting oil refineries and retail warehouses to escalate the cost for Russia. An oil refinery in Orsk, Russia, shut down completely after being hit by a Ukrainian drone, with repairs potentially taking up to six months due to sanctions limiting access to needed equipment.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military claimed success in attacking an oil refinery in Orsk, setting it ablaze, while a separate Russian drone attack on a civilian train in southern Ukraine resulted in two fatalities. The incident drew criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians.

The United Nations reported a significant rise in civilian casualties in July, with 437 killed and 2,610 injured, marking a 30% and 70% increase respectively compared to the previous month.