Ukrainian Drones Strike 19 Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers in Sea of Azov

Ukrainian drone forces struck Russian “shadow fleet” tankers in the Sea of Azov, with Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, reporting that in three days the AFU announced the defeat of 19 Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov.

“According to Ukrinform, this information was reported by the SBU, which also released a video about it”

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In the account published by Nashaniva.com, Brovdi wrote on July 6 that Ukrainian drones struck two tankers heading with a cargo of gasoline from Taganrog to annexed Crimea, and he said each vessel carried 7,000 tons of fuel.

Actualités Ukrinform

Nashaniva.com also said that on July 7 Madyar reported attacks on ten Russian vessels at once—eight tankers, one dry cargo ship, and one ferry—and that the published footage showed strong fire erupting on some vessels after the attack.

The Kyiv Independent described the same campaign as continuing into July 8, saying Brovdi announced that Ukrainian long-range drones struck nine Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Sea of Azov overnight on July 8.

In the Guardian’s war briefing, Kyiv’s military said Ukrainian drones attacked a dozen tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” over the past two days delivering fuel to Crimea, as it intensified efforts to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula.

Nashaniva.com said Ukrainian military personnel identified the tankers hit by drones as the “Kapitan Barmin” and “Sonar-4” tankers after the July 6 strike, and it added that the AFU USS did not publish footage of further reconnaissance of the targets that were hit.

The Kyiv Independent quoted Brovdi writing in a Telegram post on July 8, adding “Moscow will fall,” and it noted that the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify his claim while Moscow had not commented at the time of publication.

Baird Maritime

In the Guardian’s briefing, Kyiv’s military said it struck eight vessels subject to sanctions in the Sea of Azov, each with a deadweight of about 7,000 metric tons, and it added that two more tankers were hit later in the day.

Kyiv Post reported that Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said “more than nine” Russian tankers had been hit by drone swarms operating above the Kerch Strait, while Rostov Oblast Governor Yury Slyusar acknowledged two tankers traveling to the port of Rostov without cargo had been struck and said two sailors were injured.

SOFX, meanwhile, described the July 7 operation as striking 10 ships in the Sea of Azov, including eight oil tankers, one bulk cargo vessel, and one ferry, and it said the Kairos Battalion of the 414th Unmanned Strike Aviation Brigade conducted the raid.

The campaign is presented in the sources as aimed at disrupting Russia’s ability to supply Crimea by sea, with Nashaniva.com stating that supplying Crimea via tankers is “almost the only way to bring fuel to the peninsula” after Ukrainian drones established fire control over land routes to Crimea.

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Nashaniva.com also said that after a massive drone attack on the Slavyansk Oil Refinery in Krasnodar Krai and strikes on the nearest oil-loading port of Kavkaz, it became necessary to use alternative routes, and it described oil products leaking into the sea from damaged hulls after the July 8 attacks.

Kyiv Independent said Russian-installed authorities introduced fuel rationing measures in late May and that Sergey Aksyonov claimed on July 8 that Russian air defenses had repelled four Ukrainian attacks overnight and into the morning, saying 27 drones had been shot down and adding that no casualties were reported.

In the Maritime Executive’s account, Ukraine said it hit eight tankers carrying gasoline to Crimea and described the attacks as escalating to an “industrial level,” while it also reported that Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have shot down 11 aerial bombs, 27 rockets, two long-range guided missiles, and 797 drones.

The Kyiv Independent further said Brovdi reported that overnight on July 8 Ukrainian drones struck 53 Russian military targets in Russian-occupied Crimea and southern occupied Ukraine, and it added that electricity disruptions in Crimea were part of the pressure, with Brovdi saying six electrical substations were hit.