Ukraine strikes 285 Russian 'shadow fleet' ships over ten weeks
Ukraine's drone forces have hit 285 Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels in the Black and Azov Seas over a ten-week operation, significantly disrupting shipping in the area.
The commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), Robert Brovdi, known by the callsign 'Madyar', has announced that over ten weeks of an operation codenamed 'MoLoChKa', his forces have struck 285 Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Monthly breakdown
According to Brovdi, the highest number of strikes occurred in July, when 215 vessels were hit. That figure dropped to 54 in August, while the first eleven days of September saw a further 16 strikes.
Impact on shipping
The USF commander said the operation has effectively halted shadow fleet vessel movement in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. In the northern and northeastern Black Sea, shipping has become considerably more difficult as a result.
Brovdi also released video footage that he said showed a USF strike on a sanctioned shadow fleet oil tanker, which at the time was being escorted by a Russian helicopter.
Link to war financing
The commander stressed that revenue generated from transporting Russian oil via these vessels is being used to fund the war against Ukraine. The term 'shadow fleet' refers to ships operating under obscure or concealed ownership that are used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil exports.
