172 Shadow Fleet Vessels Hit by SBU Drones in Just 13 Days

Operation Molochka: Successes and Threats

According to ХВИЛЯ: Over a 13-day span, drones from the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) have struck 172 vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, marking a major achievement for Operation Molochka. Of these, 118 were targeted in the Sea of Azov, while 54 were hit in the Black Sea. According to USF Commander Robert Brovdi (call sign Madyar), July 18 alone saw 13 vessels struck, including eight dry cargo ships, a tanker, a gas carrier tanker, a tugboat, and two floating cranes.

Strategic Importance of the Operation

Launched on July 6, Operation Molochka aims to disrupt Russia's logistics for oil, fuel, and cargo-resources it uses to bypass international sanctions. Commander Brovdi stated:

“Every self-propelled vessel will be turned into a drifting barge at sea, blind and deaf.” - Robert Brovdi

He also pledged to maintain this pace of operations through the end of July and into the first half of August.

In response to these threats, Russian forces have begun pulling up to 200 Rubicon attack drone teams from the front line to shield their ships. To protect its vessels, Russia has deployed assets from the 51st Air Defense Division and an anti-aircraft regiment-remnants of the Black Sea Fleet. The enemy is using:

• anti-aircraft drones
• man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS)
• machine guns

The USF commander emphasized:

“Well then, a naval battle it is-we’ll see what happens.” - Robert Brovdi

This reflects Ukrainian forces' readiness for continued maritime operations. Brovdi also expressed confidence in victory: “We will stand firm. Moscow will fall. We will rebuild and restore Crimea.”

Operation Molochka holds significant strategic value for control in the Black and Azov Seas, as destroying Russian vessels complicates their ability to conduct maritime trade and transport resources. This could severely impact Russia's economy, especially under the existing sanctions regime. Further Ukrainian actions in this direction may escalate the conflict, with Russian forces already taking defensive measures, signaling heightened tensions in the region.

In a related development, Ukrainian forces have recently targeted 21 Russian tankers in a nighttime strike on the Sea of Azov, highlighting the ongoing maritime conflict. This escalation underlines the strategic efforts to disrupt Russian logistics and reflects the broader objectives of operations like Molochka. For more details on this significant incident, visit the latest updates on the attacks against Russian tankers.