The Air War in Ukraine - The First Confirmed Kill credited to a F-16
In today’s episode of this sad series, we will look at the period from July 1 to July 31. During this period, Ukraine launched several new campaigns targeting Russian ships in the Sea of Azov and the logistics warehouses of Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries. At the same time, however, Ukraine also made several incomprehensible mistakes that led to unnecessary losses. In the fifth year of the war, such carelessness should not be happening.
Miro Barič
The First Confirmed Kill credited to a F-16
In today’s episode of this sad series,
we will look at the period from July 1
to July 31. During this period, Ukraine
launched several new campaigns
targeting Russian ships in the Sea of
Azov and the logistics warehouses
of Russia’s largest online retailer,
Wildberries. At the same time,
however, Ukraine also made several
incomprehensible mistakes that led
to unnecessary losses. In the fifth
year of the war, such carelessness
should not be happening.
The Air War in Ukraine
On Wednesday, July 1, Ukraine stated in
a letter addressed to the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) that Russia’s shadow fleet
should not be considered ordinary civilian
shipping, but rather a legitimate military
target, because it serves to finance Moscow’s
war operations.
On the night of Monday, July 6, Ukraine then
launched a large-scale operation against
Russian ships in the Sea of Azov. They began
attacking them with “Magyar’s birds,” meaning
units equipped with aerial drones. The main
targets were the aforementioned shadow
fleet, whose ships were anchored in the Sea
of Azov because they considered it a safe
haven from Ukrainian naval drones operating
in the Black Sea. However, ships forming
part of convoys supplying Crimea were also
hit, after the Ukrainians had previously
managed to significantly restrict Russian land
transportation.
The attacks on ships continued practically
every night until the end of the month. Over
the course of roughly three weeks, Ukrainian
drones managed to score more than 200 hits on
Russian vessels. This does not mean that 200
ships were hit—some were hit multiple times.
The targets were mainly tankers, but also
ordinary cargo ships, ferries, and tugboats.
Most of the ships did not sink, but that was not
necessary. Ukrainian operators focused on key
sections such as the bridges or engine rooms.
Damage to these areas means that a ship is
put out of service for a long time. In the event
of a more extensive fire, such a ship may be
permanently disabled, even if it remains afloat.
Ukrainian drone forces launched another
campaign against the online retailer
Wildberries, nicknamed the Russian Amazon.
Over the course of the month, Ukrainians hit
20 of the company’s warehouses. Seven of
Wildberries’ ten largest warehouses burned
down completely. At first glance, this appears
to be a purely civilian target, but that is not
entirely the case. The retailer also operated
a section called “Everything for the Special
Military Operation,” where goods needed by
Russian soldiers at the front were sold—from
night-vision equipment and bulletproof vests
to the drones.
Ukrainian officials stated that, in addition to
disrupting Russian logistics, the operation was
also intended to damage the Russian economy.
Wildberries is not only the largest player
in the Russian online market, but also the
country’s largest debtor. It had taken out loans
to rapidly construct large logistics centers,
and its potential collapse would also lead to
the collapse of several Russian banks. The
commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, Robert
Brovdi (nicknamed Magyar), also said that
the attacks were intended to make ordinary
Russians feel the consequences of the war.
According to Russian media, approximately
80 percent of the goods in the warehouses
were uninsured, meaning that small sellers
who used Wildberries often lost everything.
“Military” Targets
Naturally, Russian propaganda portrayed
the Ukrainian attacks as the destruction of
purely civilian targets. Let us just recall that
the same propaganda had previously defended
attacks on, for example, branches of the
Ukrainian company Nova Poshta, which have
been occurring since the beginning of the war.
During this period, Ukrainian “military” targets
were also hit, such as the Ukrainian Red
Cross warehouse in Kyiv. On Thursday, July 2,
it destroyed humanitarian aid and emergency
equipment worth $1.8 million. These included
Strikes against Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov.
F-16 fighter jets have been carrying
the main burden of the Ukrainian Air
Force’s combat missions for some
time now.
AIR WAR IN UKRAINE
INFO Eduard26
September 2026