Ukrainian Drones Strike 14 Russian Vessels in One Night and 90 Shadow Fleet Targets in a Week

Ukrainian Drone Attacks on Russia's Naval and Energy Infrastructure

According to ХВИЛЯ: Between the night of July 6 and July 7, Ukrainian drones hit 14 Russian ships, including 10 tankers and 4 ferries. Over the course of the week from July 6 to July 12, unmanned aerial vehicles from Ukraine struck a total of 90 assets belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet. This information was shared by Robert Brovdi (call sign Madyar), the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, in a Telegram post.

In addition to the maritime strikes, drones from the Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) also targeted the Syzran Oil Refinery, located in Russia's Samara region. This facility is one of the largest operated by Rosneft, with an annual capacity of roughly 8.5 million metric tons of crude oil-about 3% of Russia's total refining output. The refinery produces a variety of petroleum products, including:

• gasoline
• diesel fuel
• aviation kerosene
• fuel oil
• bitumen

The attack triggered a massive fire on the refinery's premises.

'Every 112 minutes of the week, we fed a tanker, tug, dry cargo ship, or other specialized vessel with 'MoloChka' (a drone nickname),' stated Robert Brovdi.

He added: 'Moscow will fall. To be continued...' For those wanting to track the drones' performance, Brovdi recommended using the SBS PIDRAKHUNOK online dashboard.

These operations highlight Ukraine's intensified use of drone technology to disrupt critical enemy infrastructure. Successful hits on Russian naval assets and refineries could significantly impact the supply chains supporting Russian forces and the broader Russian economy. A key trend is the growing reliance on drones in warfare, offering new tactical possibilities and boosting Ukraine's effectiveness in countering its adversary.

In a similar show of strength, Ukrainian drones recently targeted 28 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, further showcasing the effectiveness of drone warfare in disrupting Russian maritime operations. These developments underline the strategic importance of unmanned aerial systems in modern conflicts. For a detailed account of this operation, you can read more about it here.