Russia has redeployed drone crews from the battlefield to protect its shadow fleet following intensified Ukrainian strikes on vessels in the Black and Azov seas. Up to 200 teams from the Rubicon unit have been reassigned to maritime defence, while the 51st air defence division and a Black Sea Fleet anti-aircraft regiment have also been deployed to guard the ships.
The operation, launched on July 6 and codenamed MoLoCHKa, has scored 172 hits on Russian shadow-fleet vessels in 13 days, with 12 ships hit in the latest round, according to Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert Brovdi. Since July 6, the total number of attacked vessels has reached 159. The campaign aims to disrupt Russian oil and fuel shipments that circumvent international sanctions.
Overnight, Russia fired more than 130 drones and eight missiles across Ukraine. Two people were killed and five wounded in a missile strike on a residential building in Odesa on July 17, while separate attacks killed two in Zaporizhzhia, two in Mykolaiv and wounded one in Sumy. The Russian defence ministry confirmed strikes on the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.