Ukraine’s military has launched a series of strikes on Russian oil tankers near Crimea, targeting fuel shipments to the occupied peninsula, according to reports from BBC and AOL. The head of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Svyatoslav Brovdi, detailed strikes every day between 6 and 9 July, with several tankers identified by name including Venera-3, Sanar-1, Sanar-17, Klimena, Thetis, Alexey Savrasov, and Penelopa.

Strikes on Russian Fuel Supply Lines

Most of the hit vessels are part of Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ a network of commercial oil tankers used to move fuel into and out of Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014. The exact number of ships struck is unclear, as some may have been hit more than once and not all the attacks have been independently confirmed.

The Sea of Azov has become a key corridor for fuel deliveries, with Kerch port serving as an onshore loading point. Ukraine attacked Kerch port last month. And satellite imagery from BBC Verify shows a significant drop in the number of tankers in the area in the days that followed.

Continuing Fires and Evacuating Vessels

On Wednesday. The governor of Russia’s Rostov region. Yuri Slyusar. Reported that two empty tankers were attacked in Taganrog Bay, a location in the north-eastern corner of the Sea of Azov — Despite being empty, the tankers were still burning as of Thursday. Brovdi confirmed that two of the tankers hit earlier in the week were each carrying about 7,000 tons of fuel from the Taganrog area to Crimea.

Satellite imagery captured on Wednesday showed a large plume of smoke rising from a ship about 2.5 miles (4.2 km) off the Crimean coast; NASA data suggests the fire had been burning since at least 6 July, likely a result of Ukraine’s first wave of strikes. The same image also showed around 20 additional vessels leaving the area and heading south toward the Black Sea.

Impact and Response

The attacks are part of a broader effort by Ukraine to disrupt Russian supply lines and logistics, particularly those involving fuel, though With Crimea heavily dependent on imported supplies, targeting these vessels could limit Russia’s ability to sustain its occupation. The strikes have drawn international attention, with night-time footage of the attacks appearing on social media early on Tuesday.

While Ukraine claims the strikes as a strategic move, Russia has not provided a detailed response. The ongoing conflict has seen a steady escalation in both conventional and asymmetric warfare, with drone and unmanned systems playing an increasingly central role in the military tactics of both sides.