Ukraine's Drone Strikes Sink Russian Vessels and Block Azov Sea Shipping

Ukraine’s unmanned maritime systems have intensified attacks on Russian shipping. A sea‑drone sank the Russian border‑patrol ship Izumrud near Novorossiysk, a location linked to President Putin’s alleged sea stronghold. In the same period, Ukrainian drones hit 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea, including 17 oil tankers, and reported strikes on 116 ships in the Sea of Azov over nine days.

The attacks forced Russia to suspend traffic in the Azov Sea, closing the Don‑Azov channel and restricting passage through the Kerch Strait. The blockade threatens a key export route for Russian grain and fuel, raising concerns for global food security and prompting Moscow to seek alternative maritime routes. Civilian casualties were reported in Ukraine’s Odesa, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions as Russian air strikes continued.

The campaign, part of Ukraine’s Operation MoLoChKa, aims to cripple the “shadow fleet” that moves oil, fuel and grain, while Russia accuses Kyiv of terrorism. International shipping firms are reconsidering calls to Ukrainian ports, and the disruption could affect grain supplies destined for African markets.