Ukraine said on Tuesday that its drone forces had attacked a dozen tankers linked to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" over the past two days, as Kyiv intensifies efforts to disrupt fuel supplies to occupied Crimea.
According to Ukraine's military, the strikes targeted vessels operating in the Sea of Azov, a key logistics route used to support Russian forces in Crimea and other occupied areas of southern Ukraine.
Ukraine's drone forces said eight sanctioned tankers, each with a carrying capacity of about 7,000 metric tons, were struck on Tuesday. Two additional vessels were reportedly hit later in the day.
The attacks followed strikes on two other tankers in the same area a day earlier, bringing the total number of targeted vessels to 12.
The reported attacks come amid a broader Ukrainian effort to weaken Russia's military logistics network in Crimea.
Kyiv has stepped up strikes on energy and transport infrastructure across the peninsula in recent weeks, contributing to fuel shortages and prompting Russian-installed authorities to declare a state of emergency.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Ukraine's top drone commander, Robert Brovdi, said Kyiv's objective was to effectively cut Crimea off from Russia through a sustained campaign of strikes against military and logistical targets.
Ukraine's drone forces published footage that they said showed vessels being struck and catching fire. Reuters was unable to independently verify the videos.
"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," the drone forces said in a statement.
The military said the vessels were involved in transporting fuel to support Russian operations.
Ukraine and its Western allies have increasingly focused on Russia's "shadow fleet" — vessels used to transport Russian oil and fuel while bypassing international restrictions and sanctions.
A Reuters review found that only two of the seven vessels initially identified by Ukraine as having been struck on Tuesday were currently subject to international sanctions.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged partner countries to tighten enforcement measures against ships involved in transporting Russian oil.
Ukraine has previously used naval drones to target fuel tankers in the Black Sea as part of efforts to disrupt Russian energy exports and military supply chains.
Moscow has not publicly commented on the latest attacks.
The reported strikes were part of a wider wave of Ukrainian operations that also targeted electrical substations, radar systems and missile facilities in Crimea.
The attacks highlight Ukraine's growing use of long-range drones against Russian logistics and energy infrastructure as it seeks to increase pressure on Moscow far from the front lines.
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