RUSSIA PERSPECTIVE

Moscow, July 16, 2026. For the Russian press and authorities, the battle in the Black Sea revolves around two parallel narratives: legitimate defense against Ukrainian military logistics, and accusations of "terrorism" targeting Kiev. The Ministry of Defense claims to have struck the ports of Odessa and Chornomorsk, as well as four ships "delivering freight" to Ukrainian forces in the ports of Chornomorsk and Dnipro-Buh, in addition to fuel infrastructure and two drone production workshops. Three additional cargo ships were reportedly targeted in Yuzhny, Chornomorsk, and Dnipro-Buh, according to Sputnik, which frames these strikes as intended to "weaken Ukraine's military and economic capabilities."

On the Ukrainian side, the commander of Kiev's drone forces claims that 20 Russian ships were hit in the Black Sea on the same night, forcing Moscow, the world's largest grain exporter, to restrict navigation in the Sea of Azov - a route that handles about a quarter of its grain exports, according to sources cited by Reuters and reported by The Moscow Times, which also reports the death of three civilians in an Odessa building hit by a Russian missile.

The most commented-on event remains the death of Alexander Iakovlev, chief engineer of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, killed along with his driver Dmitry Filippov in a drone strike attributed to the Ukrainian army. The CEO of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, describes it as a "terrorist crime" and demands a "rapid and clear" response from the IAEA; the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, demands a formal condemnation. The power plant denounces an attack on the principle that nuclear safety should remain "above politics." In Energodar, the city was left without electricity after the attack, according to Governor Evgeny Balitsky, cited by Vedomosti.

In the Duma, Crimean deputy Mikhail Sheremet mentions a "terrorist pattern" by Volodymyr Zelensky coordinated with NATO countries and anticipates that the West will "justify" this murder.

TASS reports that Turkish maritime experts say Ukrainian attacks damaged about 50 ships near Snake Island between July 9 and 11, including the Turkish tanker Yasa Polaris, threatening Ankara's energy security, which imports up to 12 million barrels of Russian oil per month.