Ukraine has claimed to have struck 19 tankers carrying fuel to occupied Crimea
Over the past three days, Ukrainian drones have struck 19 tankers in the Sea of Azov which, according to the Ukrainian side, were transporting fuel to the temporarily occupied Crimea. This was reported by Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, whose call sign is ‘Madyar’.
According to him, nine vessels were struck on the night of 8 July. Robert Brovdi also released video footage of the strikes.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during a night-time operation aimed at reducing Russia’s military and economic potential, six tankers belonging to the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ were struck. One of them was in the Black Sea, and another five in the Sea of Azov. The General Staff noted that these vessels were being used to supply Russian army units in southern Ukraine.
According to Robert Brovdi, last night drones from the Unmanned Systems Forces attacked a total of 53 military targets in the south of the temporarily occupied territories and within the operational depth of Crimea. These included six power substations on the peninsula.
The day before, the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces reported the destruction of a further eight tankers transporting fuel to Crimea via the Sea of Azov, and the day before that announced an attack on two more vessels. According to him, each of these tankers was capable of carrying up to 7,000 tonnes of fuel.
In addition, on 7 July, Ukrainian drones, according to Robert Brovdi, struck a dry cargo ship in the Sea of Azov and the SKS One ferry in Crimea.
Such strikes form part of the Ukrainian leadership’s stated policy of isolating the temporarily occupied Crimea from Russia. Due to regular attacks on military and energy infrastructure, as well as strategic bridges on the peninsula, there have been power cuts, the free sale of petrol has effectively ceased, the number of trains from Russia has fallen, and local residents are reporting problems with food supplies and the introduction of restrictions on their sale.
Previously, Ukrainian drones had effectively brought freight traffic to a standstill on the R 280 ‘Novorossiya’ federal highway, which connects the Rostov Oblast with the temporarily occupied Crimea via the occupied territories of Ukraine.
