Russia launched another night-time drone strike on Mykolaiv Oblast, wounding a man and causing fires in suburban areas. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted dozens of incoming Shahed explosive drones, but some reached their targets. The lower number of drones used in last night’s daily assault used this time may indicate that Russia is stockpiling them ahead of a larger assault.

Shahed wounds civilian in Mykolaiv amid Russian drone stockpiling

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that between 00:30 and 08:00 on 8 July, Russian forces launched 54 Shahed-type drones and four S-300/400 missiles. The drones came from Kursk and Oryol in Russia and from Hvardiiske in Russian-occupied Crimea. Air defense units destroyed 34 drones — 26 were shot down, and eight were electronically suppressed or lost from radar. Nonetheless, drone strikes hit five locations.

The southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv Oblast was the main target. Air raid alerts sounded at 02:03. By 02:26, the Air Force warned of incoming drones toward the city. At 02:28, a group of Shahed drones was reported approaching from the Black Sea. Explosions followed at 02:29, confirmed by Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych. The all-clear was given at 02:55.

Civilian wounded and homes set on fire in Nadbuzke

Between 02:10 and 02:32, Shahed drones struck the Vesnianka community in Mykolaiv Oblast. According to the oblast’s head, Vitalii Kim, a 51-year-old man in the village of Nadbuzke was wounded in the strike and hospitalized. As of the morning, his condition was described as serious but stable. Fires broke out in two detached houses and dry grass areas; emergency services managed to extinguish them.

More drone and artillery attacks earlier on 7 July

Russian attacks on the Mykolaiv oblast had already intensified the previous day. The oblast authorities reported that on 7 July, Kutsurub community was targeted by artillery and three Russian FPV drone strikes. Outside Solonchaky, artillery fire sparked a fire in dry grass and shrubs. In Dmytrivka, additional FPV drone attacks damaged a store roof, disrupted power lines, and caused another fire. No injuries were reported in those cases.

Just after 03:30 on 8 July, another FPV drone struck the waters near the Ochakiv community — again, no casualties were recorded.

Explosions also reported in Kherson

Suspilne reported hearing explosions in Kherson—a city east of Mykolaiv—around 01:07, though no details on damage or casualties were available at the time. The blast might have been the activity of the Ukrainian air defenses, targeting the drones flying towards Mykolaiv.

Reduced drone numbers may hint at escalation

While the number of drones launched on 8 July was lower than during previous everyday attacks, in which Russia has used hundreds of drones, such lulls have repeatedly preceded larger combined drone and missile assaults. This pattern raises concerns that Russia may be deliberately reducing the scale of daily attacks to accumulate stock for future mass strikes.