ISW calls yesterday's drone attack on Ukraine "defiant response" by Russia to NATO summit

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine on July 11 are likely a demonstrative response to the start of the NATO summit in Vilnius, as well as a signal to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to Ukrinform.

“Russia’s drone strikes on port infrastructure also coincide with the first day of the NATO summit in Vilnius and are likely intended to discourage NATO members from providing more military aid to Ukraine. Russia may be threatening the Black Sea grain deal to message the deal's original broker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that his recent statement of support for Ukraine’s NATO membership and the return of the five Ukrainian Azovstal commanders on July 7 has not gone unnoticed and is not appreciated by the Kremlin,” ISW notes.

Read also: Two people injured in drone attack in Cherkasy region

As reported, over the past day, Russian occupants attacked Ukraine with 28 Shahed-type attack drones, and Ukrainian Air Defense destroyed 26 kamikaze drones. Also, five reconnaissance UAVs of operational and tactical level were destroyed.

The invaders tried to strike a grain terminal in the Odesa region, and two drones hit the administrative building of the port facility.