Ukraine strikes 8 Russian shadow fleet tankers in a night
Photo: An oil tanker subject to sanctions (2 war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua)
Ukrainian drones launched a full-scale hunt for Russia’s fuel fleet. 8 tankers heading for occupied Crimea were set ablaze overnight, according to Colonel Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, known by the call sign Magyar.
The battle for fuel destined for occupied Crimea in the Sea of Azov has been going on for several days now. But last night, the air-and-sea operation reached a new level.
Ukrainian drones struck:
- 8 fuel tankers
- 1 dry cargo ship
- 1 ferry.
All the tankers struck are subject to international sanctions. These are vessels with a deadweight of about 7,000 metric tons and a length of approximately 140 meters, built between 2006 and 2012.
Among the identified vessels are:
- Venus-3
- Sanar-1
- Sanar-17
- Climene
- Teti
- Aleksey Savrasov
- Penelope.
The name of the eighth vessel is still being verified.
In addition to the strikes on the fleet, 58 Russian military targets were struck overnight in Russia’s operational rear within the temporarily occupied territory.
Ukraine strikes 8 Russian shadow fleet tankers in a night pic.twitter.com/VE5u85Mpkc
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 7, 2026
The energy infrastructure of the occupied peninsula was also targeted; electricity supply facilities and logistics hubs in Crimea were struck as well. Details regarding the consequences of this attack are still being clarified.
"We will stand firm. Moscow will fall. We will feed and rebuild Crimea," the commander writes.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, explains why Ukraine continues to strike targets in Crimea. According to him, all the hardships experienced by the peninsula’s residents due to power and water outages are for the sake of a greater goal.
Last night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces also struck two facilities of Russia’s military-industrial complex, the oil depot at the Belgorod airfield, and Russian bridges in the Bryansk region and occupied Crimea.
