But Russia’s stepped-up attacks on cargo ships are likely aimed at deterring foreign companies from buying Ukrainian goods and using its Black Sea shipping corridor.

On Sunday, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi said his government and military command were “preparing decisions that will improve navigation safety and help protect civilian ships and seafarers” from Russian attacks.

Despite constant bombing, Odessa remains a privileged holiday destination for Ukrainians.

Governor Oleh Kiper said earlier this month that air raid shelters had been installed on 40 beaches in the region that were open to the public, but warned that coastal locations could be particularly dangerous because drones and missiles are often launched from the sea.

For its part, Ukraine has also intensified its attacks against Russian assets in the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov.

On Monday, the commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, Robert Brovdi, said 183 ships had been attacked in July. While this figure has not been independently verified, the BBC has seen satellite evidence of damage to numerous ships in both the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov.

Elsewhere in the country, Russian strikes killed five people in separate attacks on cities in eastern and southern Ukraine.

According to the UN, June saw the highest number of Ukrainian civilian deaths and injuries since April 2022. At least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured.

For its part, kyiv also continued to hit logistics facilities and an oil depot in Russia’s Moscow region. Sergei Sobyanin, mayor of the Russian capital, said kyiv had launched 400 drones into the region overnight on Monday, although most were shot down. Local authorities later said that 10 people had been injured as a result.

And local authorities in the Russian border region of Belgorod said a Ukrainian drone strike on a bus had killed five people, including a child, on Monday. Ukraine has not yet commented.