Ukraine's military said on Tuesday that its drones struck eight tankers from Russia's 'shadow fleet' overnight as they were delivering fuel to Crimea.
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In a statement posted on Telegram, Ukraine's drone forces said the vessels were targeted in the Sea of Azov. The drone forces said the tankers were 'delivering fuel to Crimea' and that each vessel, already under international sanctions, had a deadweight of around 7,000 tonnes.
The strikes came a day after Ukraine said it had targeted two other vessels from Russia's "shadow fleet" operating in the same area, signalling an intensified effort against maritime supply routes linked to Russian-occupied Crimea.
According to Reuters, Ukraine's drone forces said the strikes were aimed at disrupting Russian military supply lines, stating, "Striking the enemy's naval logistics complicates the supply of fuel and ammunition necessary to support the activities of Russian troops, primarily in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea."
In a post on X, the Unmanned Systems Forces also released black-and-white drone footage that it said showed the vessels being struck and erupting into flames, the post read, “These tankers are part of the Azov–Crimea fuel route, transporting gasoline and petroleum products between russian ports, the Kerch Strait, and occupied Crimea. When fully loaded, 8 tankers of this class could carry approximately 40,000–50,000 tonnes of fuel.”
