Ukraine's monthly civilian casualties highest since 2022
Deutsche Welle · LC · trust 57/100
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 In one of Russia's latest attacks on civilian infrastructure, a drone hit the locomotive section of a passenger train, killing two people Image: Odesa Regional Military Administration/AFP 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 Poland arrests Russian over alleged assassination plot Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says a Russian national has been detained on suspicion of planning to kill a Ukrainian-American dual citizen in Warsaw on Moscow's orders.
Tusk said Polish security agents and police arrested the suspect on August 7 with help from US authorities, preventing what he described as a planned "execution."
Tusk did not publicly identify the intended victim but said the person was considered "inconvenient" by the Kremlin.
He described the case as the first known instance in which someone allegedly acting on Russian orders had prepared an attack against a US citizen on the territory of another NATO member. Tusk warned that Poland should expect further attempts to target people viewed as threats by the Kremlin.
Poland has repeatedly accused Russia of sabotage and other covert operations since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In June, Russian caricaturist and Kremlin critic Semyon Skrepetsky, whose real name was Robert Kuzovkov, was shot dead in eastern Poland . Tusk later described the killing as a "political murder."
Russian government opponents have also previously been targeted in attacks elsewhere in Europe, including in the UK, Germany and Lithuania.
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08/13/2026 August 13, 2026 Russian strike hits Ukraine's largest Danube grain port The Danube port at Izmail is key to moving grain when other routes jeopardized Image: Andrew Kravchenko/AP Photo/picture alliance 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.
Published 08/13/2026 Published August 13, 2026 last updated 08/13/2026 last updated August 13, 2026 Ukrainian drones strike major Russian oil refinery Ukrainian drones struck one of Russia's largest oil-refining complexes deep inside the country, according to Ukraine's military, marking the fourth such attack in three days.
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…
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