Video: Ukraine Claims Attacks On 116 Russian Ships In Just 9 Days, Sinks Moscow’s Border Guard Ship
Ukraine said it struck 11 more Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, taking the total number of ships it says have been hit over the past nine days to 116, as Kyiv continues targeting maritime assets it says support Russia’s oil transport and military logistics.
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) said the latest strikes hit five tankers, five dry cargo ships and one tugboat as part of Operation “MoLoChKa” (Dairy).
USF Commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi said on Telegram that the operation is aimed at Russia’s feeder fleet, which transports oil from Russian ports through the Volga-Don Canal and the Sea of Azov to larger tankers waiting in the Black Sea.
According to Brovdi, these smaller, flat-bottomed tankers are a key part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet because large tankers cannot enter the shallow ports. He said one large tanker is typically loaded by 12 to 15 feeder vessels.
Ukraine says disrupting these vessels makes it harder for Russia to export oil and deliver fuel to Russian-controlled Crimea through the Sea of Azov.
“The goal of the operation is to systematically disrupt the enemy’s logistics chain,” the USF said in a statement. It added that striking tankers, cargo ships and support vessels limits Russia’s ability to transport oil, petroleum products and military supplies.
The latest strikes came a day after Brovdi said Ukrainian forces had hit 105 vessels in eight days.
116 Vessels in 9 Days: USF Operators Struck 11 More Enemy Vessels Overnight
Here are more details on the results of the operation:
5 tankers in the Sea of Azov were struck by operators of the @1usc_army , @Raid_413 and the @k_2army
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Unmanned Systems Forces (@usf_army) July 14, 2026
Russia’s Agriculture Ministry said it is working on alternative shipping routes for grain exports from the Sea of Azov following the Ukrainian attacks.
It added that Russia’s domestic food supply and export capability would not be affected and that logistics would be redirected if necessary.
Reuters reported that shipping in the Sea of Azov remained restricted on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources. Russian authorities have not confirmed whether any traffic restrictions are in place.
Ukraine also reported overnight strikes on Russian energy and logistics facilities.
Ukraine’s General Staff said it hit the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery complex in Russia’s Bashkortostan region, where a fire was reported after the strike. It also said the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region was hit, with another fire reported at the site.
According to Ukraine, the Salavat refinery can process about 10 million tonnes of oil a year, while the Afipsky refinery has a capacity of about 6.25 million tonnes annually. Ukraine said both facilities produce fuels used by Russia’s economy and military.
The General Staff also said Ukrainian forces struck a ship transshipment area near Gelendzhik in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which it said is used for Russian oil transfers and maritime logistics.
In addition, Ukraine said it hit an ammunition depot in Donetsk and a logistics hub in Luhansk.
Separately, Ukraine’s Navy said it used a Sargan-3000 uncrewed surface vessel to sink the Russian border patrol ship Izumrud near Novorossiysk. Ukraine said there were dead and injured among the crew.
The Ukrainian Navy said Izumrud took part in the 2018 Kerch Strait incident, when Russian forces seized three Ukrainian naval vessels after a confrontation in the waterway. It also released what it said was satellite imagery showing the ship destroyed near the dock.
Ukraine has defended its attacks on Russia’s shadow fleet, saying the vessels help generate oil export revenues that support Moscow’s war effort.
In a letter to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba rejected Russian claims that Ukraine was carrying out terrorist attacks on commercial shipping. He also accused Russia of attacking 59 merchant vessels since the start of its full-scale invasion.
European countries have also stepped up efforts to target Russia’s shadow fleet, which Ukraine says consists of around 1,500 tankers used to bypass Western sanctions.
Russia has not confirmed Ukraine’s claims about the vessel strikes or the reported sinking of Izumrud, and the reported damage has not been independently verified. Ukraine said its operations against Russian maritime logistics and energy infrastructure will continue.
References: Kyiv Post, dw
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