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Ukraine's monthly civilian casualties highest since 2022
UN monitors say civilian casualties in Ukraine hit their highest monthly level since the start of Russia's full-scale war. The latest attacks included a Russian drone strike on a train, killing two workers. DW has more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Ikk9 Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know The UN says Ukraine has seen its highest monthly civilian casualty toll since March 2022 Ukrainian strikes have hit a major Russian refinery site deep inside the country A Russian military officer was killed in a bombing in Sevastopol, where five people also died during disposal work after a Ukrainian drone attack Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone destroyed a train's engine, killing the driver and his assistant Here is a roundup of the key developments in Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, August 13, 2026:
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08/13/2026 August 13, 2026 Russian strike hits Ukraine's largest Danube grain port Russia has struck Ukraine's largest grain export port on the Danube, damaging infrastructure and causing a fire, Ukrainian authorities said.
The overnight attack hit the port of Izmail in the southern Odesa region near the Romanian border and also knocked out power in southeastern parts of the city.
Local authorities said port infrastructure was damaged in the attack, though they did not immediately give details of the extent of the destruction.
Izmail is a major hub for Ukrainian exports of grain and other commodities, particularly when access to Black Sea ports is disrupted.
Romania, a NATO and European Union member, scrambled two fighter jets after what its Defence Ministry described as an "aerial target" briefly entered Romanian airspace.
The ministry said the object remained in Romanian airspace for around two minutes before heading back toward Ukraine, where explosions were later heard.
Record-low water levels on the Danube could further complicate efforts to move grain through the river.
Ukraine's General Staff said the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery and petrochemical complex in Russia's republic of Bashkortostan was hit overnight, sparking a fire.
The facility is about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the Ukrainian border, southeast of Moscow.
Ukraine's military described it as one of Russia's largest oil-refining and petrochemical complexes.
The plant can process up to 74 million barrels of oil a year and produces gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products.
Kyiv has intensified attacks on Russia's energy sector in recent months, arguing that oil revenues help finance Moscow's war effort.
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08/13/2026 August 13, 2026 Ukrainian strike shuts major Russian refinery for months Separately, a Ukrainian long-range strike has forced a major Russian oil refinery hit earlier this week to shut down completely, with repairs expected to take up to six months, according to a regional official.
The attack on the Orsk refinery took place around 1,300 kilometers (810 miles) from the front line.
Orenburg regional Governor Yevgeny Solntsev said the plant had been taken entirely out of operation.
"The equipment is imported, and given sanctions, repairs will take up to six months," he wrote on social media.
"The plant has been completely shut down," Solntsev added, saying authorities were "preparing for the worst-case scenario."
The region may now need to bring in fuel from elsewhere to cover any shortages.
The closure could add fresh pressure to Russia's fuel market , where shortages and rising prices have already affected drivers and businesses in recent months.
Many Russian regions have at some point introduced limits on commercial fuel sales, including caps on purchases and other forms of rationing.
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08/13/2026 August 13, 2026 Five killed defusing explosive device in Crimea In separate news from the bombing that killed a Russian naval officer in Sevastopol, Crimea 's Moscow-appointed figurehead said five people were killed while trying to defuse an explosive device in the same city.
Mikhail Razvozhayev said four emergency-service bomb disposal specialists and a security guard were carrying out clearance work following a Ukrainian drone attack. He said all five people involved were killed.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defences shot down or intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian and Russian-controlled regions, including Crimea.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up long-range aerial attacks as the war enters its fifth year.
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08/13/2026 August 13, 2026 Russian military officer killed in Crimea bomb attack A Russian military officer was killed in a bomb attack in Russian-annexed Crimea, with authorities saying a woman was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the killing for Ukrainian special services.
The attack happened on Thursday in Sevastopol, Crimea's largest city, the region's appointed head, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said. Ukraine did not immediately comment.
Russian Telegram channels reported that the victim was Robert Shageyev, a former Ukrainian naval officer who switched allegiance to Russia when Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014.
The channels said Shageyev had been commanding the Ukrainian submarine Zaporizhzhia at the time.
Razvozhayev did not officially name either the victim or the suspect.
Russia's FSB security service said the woman detained in connection with the killing was...
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