Key facts
- Ukraine claims to have struck 13 Russian shadow fleet vessels in the Azov and Black Seas over the last two days.
- The targeted vessels included 10 dry cargo ships, two tugboats, and a tanker.
- The strikes are part of Ukraine's strategy to disrupt Russian logistics and target sanctions-busting operations.
- Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces have reported hitting 126 vessels in the Azov Sea and 70 in the Black Sea since their campaign began.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit another 13 Russian shadow fleet vessels in the Azov Sea and the Black Sea over the last two days, according to Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi. The vessels struck on July 21-22 included 10 dry cargo ships, two tugboats, and a tanker. Brovdi stated that these vessels were warned that navigating the waters was inadvisable. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
This reported attack is part of Ukraine's increased long-range drone strikes targeting Russian-occupied territories, Russia itself, and the Black and Azov Seas. Brovdi has reported dozens of Russian shadow fleet vessels being struck throughout July as part of an effort to target logistics in and out of occupied Crimea. Since the campaign began, Brovdi claims Ukrainian drone strikes have hit 126 vessels in the Azov Sea and 70 in the Black Sea as of July 22.
Ukraine targets the Russian shadow fleet to intensify pressure on sanctions-busting shippers and insurers, particularly as Russian oil exports are under strain, according to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Russia relies on a shadow fleet of aging tankers with opaque ownership to export oil despite Western sanctions. Ukraine has argued that these vessels may no longer qualify as ordinary civilian shipping under international law, as stated in a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba to the International Maritime Organization.