Ukrainian drone forces strike 12 more Russian ships in Black Sea
File photo: Ukrainian drones destroyed another 12 vessels from Russia's shadow fleet in the past 24 hours (Getty Images)
On July 17, Ukrainian maritime drones destroyed another 12 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea. Over the 12 days of Operation MoLoChKa, the total number of ships struck has increased significantly, according to Robert Brovdi, call sign Magyar, the Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
Over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces Magyar's Birds unmanned boats struck 12 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea. Among them were:
- 9 dry cargo ships
- 1 tanker
- 1 gas tanker
- 1 tugboat.
Results of operation MoLoChKa over 12 days
The operation ran from July 6 to July 17. During this time, Ukrainian forces struck 159 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet.
Photo: Magyar revealed a map showing the strikes on Russian vessels (t.me/robert_magyar)
Most of the strikes took place in the Sea of Azov, where 117 vessels were hit. Another 42 vessels were destroyed in the Black Sea.
The Unmanned Systems Forces state that the goal of the operation is to paralyze the logistics of oil, fuel, and cargo that Russia is transporting to circumvent sanctions.
Each targeted vessel is rendered immobile, unable to move under its own power. The Unmanned Systems Forces emphasize that they are avoiding causing holes in the hulls to prevent oil spills.
Earlier, drones attacked Kerch, after which the city’s railway infrastructure caught fire. The attack on Crimea began late in the evening and continued until morning.
Meanwhile, international pressure on Russia is also intensifying through sanctions. Senator Lindsey Graham supported a tough package of sanctions against Russia, which is intended to further limit the Kremlin’s ability to circumvent restrictions.
