Ukraine Says Drones Hit 12 Russian Fuel Tankers in the Sea of Azov

Ukraine’s military said on July 9, 2026, that Ukrainian drones hit 12 additional Russian fuel tankers overnight in the Sea of Azov. Kyiv described the operation as part of a campaign to disrupt fuel supplies to Russian forces and put pressure on routes serving occupied Crimea.

The reported strikes target maritime fuel logistics in and around the Sea of Azov, a waterway connected to Russia’s southern supply network and the Crimean theater. Ukraine’s stated objective is to make it harder to sustain Russian forces and to isolate the peninsula, which Russia occupies and Ukraine claims.

The account included imagery showing fire and smoke from a tanker that a Russian regional governor identified as empty. Ukraine’s report did not establish that all 12 vessels were damaged or destroyed, and the number of confirmed hits and the extent of any damage were not independently established.

The operation is the latest reported action in Ukraine’s campaign against fuel routes supporting Russian military activity. The next known step is the continuation of that campaign, although Ukraine has not quantified any effect on fuel deliveries or announced a confirmed change in maritime supply operations.