Ukraine drone attacks push Russia into collapse

2026-07-12 21:22:19Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Russia has been forced to suspend maritime transport in the Sea of ??Azov after a series of drone attacks from Ukraine, where around 90 vessels have been targeted in less than a week.

According to Ukrainian authorities, drone units hit 10 oil tankers and four ferries overnight, while another attack hit a major oil refinery in the Russian city of Syzran. There have also been reports of attacks on electrical substations in occupied Crimea.

The head of Ukraine's drone forces said that the so-called "shadow" Russian fleet, used to transport sanctioned energy products, is facing difficulties and that the use of the Kerch Strait has been significantly limited.

The Sea of ??Azov is of great economic and military importance to Moscow, as oil, grain, steel and other products are transported through it to international markets.

Russia has reportedly suspended shipping through the Don-Azov Canal, a route connecting Russia's river network to the Caspian Sea. This has affected one of the main export corridors through the Black Sea and the Bosphorus Strait.

The former Ukrainian Defense Minister said that Moscow has lost control over an important maritime corridor, adding that the blockade also affects the movement of military equipment and the transport of goods through Russian-controlled ports.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its long-range attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. A refinery in the city of Syzran was engulfed in flames after a drone attack, while footage from the area showed huge plumes of smoke rising above the industrial complex.

Kiev has also hit land and sea supply routes to occupied Crimea, targeting trucks, ships and crossing points. Russian authorities reported that a tanker caught fire while entering the Azov-Black Sea canal, while oil leaks were also reported off the coast of Taganrog.

Security experts have described this campaign as part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to weaken Russian supply capabilities, by hitting logistics, fuel reserves and military infrastructure.

The attacks have also caused problems in Crimea, where authorities have declared a state of emergency after power outages and fuel shortages. The peninsula's tourism sector has been hit hard, while many residents have been forced to travel to Russia to get fuel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that attacks on Russian energy infrastructure are part of a long-term pressure campaign in response to Moscow's refusal to end the war.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukraine have continued. Ukrainian authorities reported that three people were killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region after Russian shelling, while a drone strike on the city of Kherson caused another casualty.


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