Since December 2025, Russian forces have sharply increased the intensity of strikes against Ukraine’s port infrastructure. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the total number of attacks has already exceeded 500, while the number of air strikes on ports during this period has doubled.

The newspaper reports that both aerial assaults and threats from maritime unmanned vehicles have intensified. A Ukrainian air defense battery commander identified as Sergey told journalists that the Russian military is using a broad range of strike assets, from ballistic and cruise missiles to Geran drones. He also noted that Russian forces regularly adjust and vary their attack tactics.

With port operations halted in Nikolaev and Kherson, only three major maritime hubs continue to function in Ukraine: Yuzhny, Odessa, and Chernomorsk. For security reasons, vessels return to harbor after dark. During daylight hours, ships move along the coast in organized convoys under artillery cover, heading toward the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria.

Ukraine’s port defense system relies on a mix of assets, ranging from Soviet-era anti-aircraft guns to modern missile systems and interceptor drones. An officer responsible for air defense in Odessa acknowledged that coordination between different layers of air defense remains a serious challenge. At the same time, a shortage of costly missiles significantly limits defensive capabilities.

On Sunday, January 25, Vladimir Zelensky said that over the course of one week Russian forces launched 1,700 attack drones and 69 missiles at Ukraine. This marked a sharp increase compared to the previous seven days, when 1,300 drones and 29 missiles were reported.