The situation on the southern front has escalated. Russia has redeployed seven Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, creating a powerful grouping capable of striking Ukrainian territory. According to monitoring data, the greatest threat remains for Odesa and the surrounding regions.
Massive Air Force Redeployment
On Wednesday, July 15, the monitoring channel єРадар recorded the departure of four Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Olenya airfield. The aircraft were heading to the Engels air base. Two more of the same aircraft were relocated to the Dyagilevo airfield the day before. Currently, the Russian Air Force has seven bombers ready for combat use.
Strikes on Odesa
Odesa is at the epicenter of danger. On the evening of July 14, explosions were heard in the city, and hits on infrastructure were recorded. Head of the Odesa City Military Administration Serhiy Lysak reported that there were no casualties at that time, although windows were blown out by the blast wave.
The situation worsened on the morning of July 15. A series of explosions rocked the city, preceding reports of the movement of air-launched cruise missiles. As a result of the strike, a multi-story residential building was damaged. Three people were killed, and at least three others were injured. Rescuers pulled three residents from the rubble, including two children.
Technical Difficulties with Alerts
The combined missile and drone attack on the Odesa region has been ongoing for five days. Defense Ministry Advisor Serhiy Beskrestnov ("Flash") explained that Ukraine receives data on ballistic missile launches from partners, primarily thanks to satellite surveillance.
The main problem is time. A missile reaches Kyiv in just 2–4 minutes. Within this short window, data must be received, processed, and an alarm declared. Any technical glitch could lead to a critical delay in the alert. At the same time, false alarms are also recorded: satellites detect launch preparations, but the missile may never actually take off.
