Ukraine says it struck 21 Russian tankers as Moscow reportedly halts shipping through key canal
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Ukrainian drones struck 21 Russian tankers and seven other vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight on July 11, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said.
According to Brovdi, Ukrainian drones hit 21 tankers, four tugboats, two dry cargo vessels, and one specialized vessel, recording 73 successful strikes during the overnight operation.
"The shadow tanker fleet is noticeably shrinking," Brovdi wrote on Telegram. "It appears traffic through the Kerch Strait has been stopped."
The General Staff said the tankers are used "to transport oil and petroleum products while circumventing international sanctions, providing funds to finance the armed aggression against Ukraine."
The military added that the tugboats, dry cargo vessels, and the specialized vessel support Russia's military logistics, cargo transportation, and port infrastructure.
"The extent of the damage and the results of the strikes are being clarified," the General Staff said.
Brovdi also said Ukrainian forces struck 53 military targets in occupied Crimea and southern Russian-occupied territories overnight, including naval assets and energy infrastructure, as part of the ongoing "Crimean Switch Off" campaign.
The Ukrainian strikes appear to have disrupted Russian shipping. Reuters reported on July 10, citing three sources in Russia's grain export industry, that Russia had temporarily suspended navigation through the Don-Azov Canal, a key waterway linking the Don River with the Sea of Azov.
According to one of Reuters' sources, Russia's border guards informed shipping companies they would no longer accept applications for passage through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, beginning at 6:10 p.m. local time on July 10. The notice did not specify when the restrictions would be lifted.
Market analysts estimate that up to one-quarter of Russia's wheat exports transit through the Sea of Azov. Reuters reported that wheat futures on the Euronext exchange rose as much as 4% on July 10, reaching a six-week high amid concerns over possible disruptions to Russian grain exports.
The operation follows another large-scale Ukrainian strike on Russian shipping a day earlier. On July 10, Brovdi said Ukrainian drones had struck 13 Russian vessels near occupied Crimea, including 10 tankers belonging to Russia's sanctions-hit "shadow fleet."
