105 Russian vessels hit over 8 days as Ukraine strikes 15 more overnight

Correction: In a previous version, the article stated that the authorities on Crimea had imposed martial law. This is incorrect, as the authorities have imposed a regional state of emergency, not martial law. We apologize.

Ukraine has expanded its operations against Russian logistics far from the front line.

Now, Ukrainian drone forces are targeting Russian naval vessels—but not ships intended for combat.

Instead, Ukraine is targeting Russian logistics by taking out tankers in the Sea of Azov.

So how is it going? Well, after hitting an additional 15 vessels overnight, the eight-day total of targets struck has surpassed 100.

Shadow fleet targeted

According to Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Maj. Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, the latest wave of nighttime strikes caught the enemy completely off guard. A multi-ship assault crippled transport capabilities in a single night.

Brovdi stated that drone units targeted 15 vessels during the overnight operation on July 13. “Overnight on July 13, the Free Ukrainian Bird of the Unmanned Systems Forces hunted down 15 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet: seven tankers, five cargo ships, one ferry, and two tugboats.”

The sustained campaign is part of a broader effort to choke off commercial vessels transporting oil to bypass Western trade restrictions.

Lights out

The scale of the destruction over the past week marks a significant escalation in the region’s drone warfare. It has effectively frozen maritime traffic. Officials say these actions have halted transit through major shipping corridors.

Speaking about the total impact of the week-long operation, Brovdi highlighted the mounting losses. “Between July 6 and July 13, we successfully struck 105 watercraft.”

Beyond the sea, the operation, named Crimean Switch Off, disrupted critical infrastructure on land. Drones knocked out nine power substations and repeatedly struck a vital energy bridge within a 48-hour period.

On top of the economic damage, the drone units also destroyed heavy weaponry. The military reported that they destroyed an advanced S-400 air defense launcher, a missile system, and multiple radar arrays.

ISW: A new phase

In its July 12 update on the war in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that the Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian fuel transports by sea represents a new phase in Ukraine’s effort to isolate the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Previously, Ukraine targeted bridges connecting Crimea to Russia, prompting the Russian-installed authorities on the peninsula to declarea regional state of emergency because of fuel shortages.

Crimea has been an important logistical hub for the Russian war effort, but Ukraine is gradually turning the peninsula into a weak point for the Russian armed forces.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation