Ukraine’s Drone Blitz Hits Russian Tankers Near Crimea, Escalating Fuel Crises

Mon Sep 14 2026 08:34:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ukraine’s drone attacks have set fire to at least 25 Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov, intensifying fuel shortages across Crimea and Russia.

Over the past four days, Ukrainian drone forces have struck and set ablaze >25 Russian tanker ships in the Sea of Azov, turning a key maritime supply route into a virtual shooting gallery. The strikes target ships part of Russia’s shadow fleet that pumps oil to Crimea through the Kerch port, undermining the peninsula’s fuel supply amid a broader Russian logistical lockdown. Fuel shortages have spread to more than 90% of Russian regions, with Russian authorities now rationing diesel, and the attacks have added pressure to the already weakened Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian President Zelensky said the campaign is a justified reply to Russian strikes, urging that the world see it as a war‑fighting effort rather than aggression.

In a rapid succession of drone attacks, Ukrainian forces have struck and set ablaze at least 25 Russian tanker vessels in the Sea of Azov, a body of water that feeds into the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait. According to Commander Robert Brovdi, also known as Magyar, the strikes have targeted ships in the shadow fleet that transport oil to Crimea.

These attacks are part of a new phase of Ukraine’s “logistics lockdown” strategy, aimed at choking off supplies into occupied Crimea. The impact is real: fuel shortages have spread to more than 90 % of Russian regions, and the black‑sea fleet’s operational capacity has shrunk to a fraction of its former size.

The drone strikes destroyed vessels such as Venera‑3, Sanar‑1, Sanar‑17, Klimena, Thetis, Alexey Savrasov and Penelopa, and even captured footage of a passenger ferry SKS One at Kerch port. Images show the tankers ablaze, with plumes of smoke rising over the waterfront.

Zelensky has argued that by targeting oil refineries, Kyiv is just responding in kind to Russian aggression, but he also urges the international community to recognise the necessity of curbing Russia’s fuel supply to the peninsula. Earlier this week, Ukrainian crews filmed a drone strike on tanker Blue near Yalta, illustrating the ongoing risk for vessels heading south.

Russian officials, such as Mikhail Zvinchuk of the Telegram channel “Rybar,” warn that the absence of a defensive Black Sea Fleet has turned the Sea of Azov into a shooting gallery for Ukrainian drones, amplifying the logistical strain on Crimea’s power and transport systems.