Ukraine war latest: Zelensky eyes replacing Defense Minister Fedorov, source says

Key developments on July 13:

• Zelensky eyes replacing Defense Minister Fedorov, source says
• Ukraine says drones struck 15 more Russian vessels as Sea of Azov campaign reaches 105 ships total
• Commander of Ukraine's 155th brigade detained in kidnapping, murder case
• Russian strike on cargo ship in Odesa kills 5, including foreign crew members, injures 10
• Russian drone crashes in Moldova, attacks across Ukraine injure at least 57

President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering replacing Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister, a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.

It is unclear whether Fedorov will get a new position within the Ukrainian government or who would replace him as defense minister.

"Fedorov and the President spoke alone; no one else heard them: That's why I don't know, and neither do the others," one Ukrainian official said.

Fedorov is viewed as one of the most trusted political figures in Ukraine, according to recent polling. A Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll conducted in May 2026 found 50% of respondents trust Fedorov, while 21% did not.

A decision to replace a popular figure widely seen as competent would likely prove controversial with both Ukrainian politicians and wider Ukrainian society.

"Fedorov hasn't even been in office for a year. He's not the worst defense minister. At least he's not just a money-grabber," one Ukrainian lawmaker from Zelensky's Servant of the People faction told the Kyiv Independent, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Fedorov's office declined to comment.

Fedorov's advisor, well-known Ukrainian influencer and fundraiser Serhii Sternenko, claimed that Fedorov was subjected to "information attacks" on Telegram after he confronted corrupt practices in the Ministry of Defense.

Ukraine says drones struck 15 more Russian vessels as Sea of Azov campaign reaches 105 ships total

Ukraine struck 15 Russian vessels overnight on July 13 as part of an ongoing campaign targeting Moscow's maritime logistics in the Sea of Azov, bringing the total number of vessels hit over the past eight days to 105, according to Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi, known by the callsign "Madyar."

The Sea of Azov is a strategically important waterway for Russia, serving as a key route for both military logistics and exports of oil, grain, steel, and other goods to international markets.

According to Brovdi, the overnight strikes targeted seven tankers, five cargo ships, one ferry, and two tugboats.

The latest attacks bring the total number of Russian vessels struck between July 6 and July 13 to 105, according to the commander.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims or assess the extent of the damage inflicted on the vessels.

"The peninsula's transshipment infrastructure is being stung every night, traffic through the strait has stopped, and cargo unloading has been reduced to a minimum," Brovdi wrote on Telegram, referring to the Kerch Strait and logistics infrastructure serving occupied Crimea.

Separately, Brovdi said Ukrainian forces struck 11 energy infrastructure facilities across occupied Crimea and other Russian-occupied territories between July 12 and July 13. According to the commander, the targets included nine electrical substations, the Kuban-Crimea electricity bridge transfer point linking occupied Crimea with Russia's power grid, and a gas pumping station.

He also claimed Ukrainian forces destroyed five Russian air defense assets, including an S-400 Triumf launcher, a Tor-M2 air defense system, a Pantsir-S1 air defense system, and two Nebo-U radar systems.

Commander of Ukraine's 155th brigade detained in kidnapping, murder case

Stanislav Luchanov, the former commander of Ukraine's scandal-hit 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade, has been detained in Kyiv in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of two civilians in Kyiv Oblast, Ukrainian media reported on July 13, citing the Prosecutor General's Office.

Luchanov was detained while traveling in a car with his lawyer, according to the reports.

Zelensky also confirmed that another suspect had been detained in the case, bringing the total number of detainees to 10.

"These are, unfortunately, servicemen and the former commander of the 155th Brigade," Zelensky said.

"Everything they did will be thoroughly investigated," he added. "This is a case that concerns not just one community or Kyiv Oblast alone. Establishing the full truth and bringing everyone responsible to justice is something the whole country needs."

According to the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, citing law enforcement sources, a group linked to the 155th Brigade broke into the home of two brothers in the village of Kalynivka, Kyiv Oblast, on the night of June 27-28, abducted them, took them to neighboring Poltava Oblast, and later killed them.

The victims were later identified as Maksym and Roman Moseichuk. Their father was killed while serving in Ukraine's military, while Maksym was himself a former serviceman.

On July 11, Ukraine's General Staff announced that Luchanov and other members of the brigade had been charged with illegal detention and intentional murder. The military initially said Luchanov had abandoned his unit without authorization during the investigation and was at large.

Russian strike on cargo ship in Odesa kills 5, including foreign crew members, injures 10

A Russian strike hit a civilian cargo vessel flying the Togolese flag while it was unloading mineral fertilizers at the port of Odesa on July 13, killing five people and injuring 10 others, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.

Among the fatal victims were three foreign crew members, according to Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for restoration and minister for communities and territories development. Kiper reported the rescuers finding two more bodies while extinguishing the fire.

The Russian strike hit the ship's superstructure, sparking a fire, Kuleba said. The wounded sailors were hospitalized and are receiving medical treatment.

Kuleba condemned the attack as "another Russian strike against civilian shipping and Ukraine's port infrastructure."

"Such attacks threaten the safety of international navigation, the stability of global trade, and the world's food security," he added.

The strike came amid a broader wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine that injured at least 57 people over the past day, according to regional authorities. During the overnight assault on Odesa Oblast, 5 people, including a 5-year-old child, were injured. Russian forces also struck civilian infrastructure, damaging a bus depot, a sanatorium, and other civilian sites.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure and commercial shipping since the start of the full-scale invasion, despite the reopening of a maritime export corridor that has allowed Ukraine to resume grain exports.

Russian drone crashes in Moldova, attacks across Ukraine injure at least 57

Russian attacks across Ukraine injured at least 57 people over the past day, while a Russian Shahed-type drone crashed in neighboring Moldova during an overnight attack, regional authorities reported on July 13.

The drone exploded near the Moldovan village of Copanca after crossing the border during Russia's overnight aerial assault on southern Ukraine, Radio Chisinau reported. No casualties were immediately reported.

The cross-border incident came as Russia launched three Kh-59/69 guided missiles and 134 attack and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 126 aerial targets, while six drones struck targets at five locations. Debris from intercepted drones fell at four additional sites.

Zelensky said Russia had again targeted exclusively civilian sites, including passenger buses in Odesa, residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, and a hospital in Kharkiv Oblast.

"Every day of Russia's war against life only proves the need to support Ukraine from every perspective: military, political, and simply human," Zelensky said, again calling on partners to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses and increase pressure on Moscow through additional sanctions.

In southern Kherson Oblast, 18 people were injured over the past day, regional authorities said. Russian attacks damaged critical infrastructure, three apartment buildings, gas stations, passenger buses, and civilian vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, 13 people, including one child, were injured in Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia city and the surrounding district, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Russian forces carried out 932 strikes against 51 settlements across the oblast.

In Kharkiv Oblast, eight people, including three children, were injured in attacks targeting 17 settlements, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russian forces used missiles, multiple-launch rocket systems, Shahed and Lancet drones, FPV drones, and dozens of other unmanned aerial vehicles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, six people were injured after Russian forces launched nearly 60 attacks using drones and artillery against four districts, regional authorities reported. Air defenses also shot down 17 drones over the Kryvyi Rih area overnight.

In Odesa Oblast, four people were injured after Russian strikes ignited a fire that destroyed six buses at a transport depot. Eleven additional buses, six civilian vehicles, and a sanatorium building were also damaged, Governor Oleh Kiper said.

In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. In Kramatorsk, the strikes damaged 25 homes, five apartment buildings, an administrative building, and a commercial property.

In Chernihiv Oblast, a 63-year-old woman was injured in a Russian drone attack, according to local authorities. Separate strikes also damaged a school building and a residential home.