Ukraine Reports Disruption of Shadow Fleet Vessels Through Drone Actions
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said on Tuesday, September 22, that its drones had disabled 300 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov since July 6.
A total of 166 vessels were disabled in the Black Sea and 134 in the Sea of Azov. The attacks have been part of an 11-week operation called Molochka.
The Unmanned Systems Forces used its “Birds” units to disable the vessels.
The 300-vessel figure is a claim by the Ukrainian military and has not been independently verified.
Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said most of the vessels were tankers carrying fuel or other energy products. Dry bulk carriers were also among the targets.
Ukraine said the ships were either supplying Russian-occupied Crimea or carrying Russian exports.
Brovdi said the goal was to stop the vessels from operating rather than sink them. This was intended to lower the risk of oil spills.
He added that ships in the northern and northeastern parts of the Black Sea were operating in a situation where it was uncertain whether they would be able to get through.
Operation “MoLoCHKa” continues. USF operators struck 7 more sanctioned russian vessels.
On July 19–20, USF operators struck 11 enemy vessels and watercraft:
5 cargo ships in the Black Sea.
—
Unmanned Systems Forces (@usf_army) July 20, 2026
Brovdi also said Ukrainian forces had struck 159 tankers over 12 days at the start of July.
The forces struck 196 vessels by July 22. That number rose to 218 by August 8 and 282 by September 9. The total reached 300 on September 22.
Brovdi said Ukrainian drone crews had attacked and “burned” 21 tankers in the three days before the latest figure was announced.
The Ukrainian commander said the vessels were part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
The campaign comes after other attacks involving commercial ships and port facilities in the Black Sea.
In late August, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world’s largest container shipping company, stopped accepting new bookings for shipments through Russia’s Novorossiysk port.
The move came after MSC Ulsan III was attacked by a drone while sailing towards the Russian port.
References: bairdmaritime, pravda
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