The Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, announced that Ukraine on the night before Thursday struck 12 ships belonging to the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ in the Black Sea.
According to Brovdi, these attacks are intended to disrupt fuel supplies to the occupied regions of eastern Ukraine and Crimea, as well as to hinder Russia’s efforts to evade international sanctions. “The goal is complete and irreversible paralysis of oil, fuel, and cargo logistics bypassing sanctions,” the commander stated.
Brovdi noted that over the past 10 days, 159 ships of the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ have been targeted. Of these, 117 ships were in the Sea of Azov, while another 42 ships were in the Black Sea.
Increased Attacks on Fuel Logistics
Recently, Ukraine has ramped up strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian drones are regularly targeting Russian oil refineries and fuel tankers along the “Novorossia 280” route, a key supply line between Russia, the occupied territories, and Crimea.
As reported by Politico, this has caused significant disruptions to the region’s energy and utility infrastructure, resulting in widespread power and water supply outages. To secure fuel supplies to Crimea, Russia has increased the use of small vessels connecting the southern regions of the country with the occupied peninsula via the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
In response, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces launched Operation “Molochka” (“Moscow will fall through Crimea”) in July, aimed at further complicating supply logistics.
Source: Politico
