Ukraine has launched an intensified drone campaign against Russian maritime logistics, destroying at least 36 ships in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov over the past four days, including 32 tankers from Moscow's shadow fleet, according to Kyiv's defence ministry. Commander Robert Brovdi said at least 25 Russian vessels were set ablaze near Crimea during the offensive.
The strikes have extended beyond the water. Russia's Ilsky oil refinery caught fire following a drone attack on 9 July, and fuel depots and the Taganrog sea port in the Rostov region were also hit. A fuel storage facility in Tver, north of Moscow, was attacked overnight. Satellite analysis shows a marked decline in tankers near the port of Kerch following the campaign.
The maritime offensive targets vessels used to supply fuel to Russian forces and circumvent international sanctions, while Russia is already grappling with domestic fuel shortages and long queues at petrol stations. Separately, authorities in Lviv have opened inquiries into violent clashes over military conscription on 8 July.