Kyiv says dozens of vessels have been struck as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy establishes a specialised command for longer-range operations inside Russia.
KYIV — Ukrainian forces have intensified their campaign against Russia’s energy and maritime infrastructure, using drones to attack oil tankers and other vessels operating in the Sea of Azov.
Ukraine’s military said its forces struck 21 Russian tankers during an overnight operation on July 10–11, alongside other vessels allegedly involved in transporting fuel and supporting Moscow’s wartime logistics. The Ukrainian claims could not be independently verified, and Russian authorities have not provided a complete assessment of the damage.
The attacks form part of a broader effort by Kyiv to disrupt Russian fuel supplies, export revenues and military transport routes. The Sea of Azov is connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait and serves as an important corridor for commercial shipping, energy deliveries and supplies to Russian-controlled areas of southern Ukraine.
Russian regional officials previously reported that Ukrainian drones had set two oil tankers on fire in the Azov Sea. One vessel remained ablaze after its crew was evacuated, according to the governor of Russia’s Rostov region.
Ukraine has described many of the targeted vessels as belonging to, or supporting, Russia’s so-called shadow fleet—a network of ships used to move Russian petroleum and reduce the effectiveness of international sanctions. Kyiv argues that energy exports remain a central source of financing for Moscow’s war effort.
The latest strikes followed an announcement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the armed forces would establish a specialised “long-range impact” command. The new structure is intended to coordinate operations against military, industrial and energy targets far inside Russian territory.
Ukraine has steadily expanded the reach of its domestically produced drones. Earlier in July, Ukrainian aircraft struck the Omsk refinery in Siberia, approximately 2,700 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory, in one of Kyiv’s deepest reported attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
The growing long-range campaign signals a strategic shift. While Ukrainian troops continue to resist Russian advances along the front line, Kyiv is increasingly attempting to impose economic and logistical costs far behind Russian positions.
Oil refineries, storage facilities, export terminals and shipping routes have become central targets. Disrupting them can restrict fuel availability for Russian forces, reduce production and export capacity, and force Moscow to divert air-defence systems away from the battlefield.
Reports indicated that the recent maritime attacks contributed to severe restrictions on shipping in the Sea of Azov and through the Don–Azov channel. Ukrainian officials said the operations had affected oil tankers, ferries and other vessels, although the scale of the disruption remained difficult to verify independently.
The campaign also carries risks. The presence of civilian crews and commercial vessels raises concerns about casualties, environmental damage and the security of international shipping. Any major oil spill in the enclosed Sea of Azov could have lasting consequences for coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
The escalation at sea unfolded as Russia continued extensive missile, drone and aerial-bomb attacks against Ukrainian cities. Russian strikes on July 11 killed six people, including a child, and injured 29 others, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Moscow, meanwhile, said its air defences had intercepted large numbers of Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, occupied Crimea and the Black and Azov seas. Wartime claims from both governments are frequently difficult to confirm independently.
Zelenskyy has argued that Ukraine’s technological advances can compensate, at least partially, for Russia’s larger conventional forces. He has said that control of the skies and the ability to strike distant targets could prove decisive in determining the course of the conflict.
The attacks on the tanker fleet demonstrate how the war is spreading beyond fortified front lines into shipping corridors, industrial centres and energy networks. By creating a dedicated long-range command, Kyiv appears determined to turn those operations into a sustained element of its military strategy rather than a series of isolated strikes.
For Russia, protecting an enormous network of ports, refineries, pipelines and vessels will require substantial resources. For Ukraine, the challenge will be maintaining the pace of the campaign while limiting civilian harm and preserving international support.
