Ukraine conducted drone strikes on Russian tankers and vessels in the Sea of Azov, potentially halting traffic through the Kerch Strait and impacting fuel supplies. Russia confirmed a drone hit a tanker, causing a fire that was contained.
The drone strikes on Russian tankers and vessels in the Sea of Azov highlight Ukraine's expanding drone campaign against Russian energy and logistics infrastructure, potentially disrupting key shipping routes and impacting global commodity markets.
Ukraine reported a significant overnight drone operation in the Sea of Azov, claiming to have struck 21 Russian tankers and seven other vessels. Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, stated that the operation resulted in 73 successful strikes and suggested that traffic through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, has been halted. The targeted tankers are reportedly part of Russia's "shadow tanker fleet" used to circumvent international sanctions. The other vessels included tugboats and dry cargo ships supporting Russian military logistics. The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed the strikes, with damage assessment ongoing.
Russia confirmed that a Ukrainian drone hit a tanker near the Azov-Black Sea Canal on Sunday, causing a fire that was contained. Yury Slyusar, governor of Russia's Rostov region, stated there was no oil spill as the vessel was empty. Russia had temporarily suspended navigation through the Don-Azov Canal, a key waterway, with shipping companies informed by Russian border guards that applications for passage through the Kerch Strait would no longer be accepted. The latest strike on two fuel tankers near Taganrog Bay, which were en route to deliver fuel to southern Russia, suggests an expanding scope of Ukraine's attacks on Russian fuel supply infrastructure.
Market analysts estimate that approximately one-quarter of Russia's wheat exports typically transit through the Sea of Azov. In response to the potential disruptions, wheat futures on the Euronext exchange rose as much as 4% on July 10, reaching a six-week high.