Overnight, Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles reportedly struck up to 30 Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov, according to Ukrainian SBS commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi. Russian authorities in the Rostov region acknowledged four vessels were hit in the Taganrog Gulf, and halted traffic on the canal linking the Don River to the Sea of Azov, suspending passage applications through the Kerch Strait. Precise data on the strike results is still being assessed, Brovdi said.
Overnight, Ukrainian forces struck a large concentration of Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Sea of Azov, with initial reports indicating as many as 30 vessels were hit. The strike was conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles, according to SBS Commander Robert Brovdi. Russian regional authorities in the Rostov region confirmed four vessels were damaged in the Taganrog Gulf and imposed a navigation stoppage on the Don–Sea of Azov canal, blocking passage through the Kerch Strait, a key chokepoint for Russian maritime traffic to and from the Black Sea.
The operation comes as part of a sustained Ukrainian campaign against Russia's shadow fleet of tankers transporting fuel and goods from Russia to occupied Crimea and beyond. As The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks, Ukraine has claimed strikes on scores of vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov since early June — including a confirmed strike on two Russian oil tankers and S-400 launchers on July 6, and a series of claims totaling over 35 ships hit within 96 hours in early July.
Brovdi stated that the assessment of the strike's results is still underway, and precise data on the extent of damage will be published later. The figures are not independently verified at this stage. The attack represents one of the largest single-night claims against Russia's maritime logistics infrastructure, though the exact count and extent of damage remain unconfirmed.
2 developments
- StrongUkraine reports striking nine more Russian shadow fleet tankers in Sea of Azov
- DevelopingUkraine: at least 35 Russian ships hit in Black Sea, Sea of Azov over 96 hours
- DevelopingUkraine's Security Service confirms strikes on two Russian tankers, S-400 launchers in Sea of Azov
- DevelopingUkraine attacks 5 gas stations across Russia, report says
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