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Ukrainian forces have struck at least 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov over the past eight days as part of their intensified campaign to isolate Moscow-occupied Crimea, reports reveal.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff and Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) Commander Major Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, his forces have recently struck 10 vessels in just one night, including ferries and tankers that Russia uses to transport oil and petroleum products and circumvent sanctions.
“The peninsula’s transhipment infrastructure is being stung every night, traffic through the strait has stopped, and cargo unloading has been reduced to a minimum,” Brovdi wrote on Telegram on Monday, referring to the Kerch Strait and logistics infrastructure serving Moscow-occupied Crimea.
According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces began intensifying strikes against vessels in the Sea of Azov last Monday as part of efforts to prevent Russia’s ability to adapt to Ukraine’s strikes against land-based logistics between Russia and occupied Crimea that have caused severe gasoline shortages.
“Ukrainian strikes against Russian seaborne gasoline transports over the past week represent a new phase in Ukraine’s efforts to isolate occupied Crimea from the Russian logistics network and to disrupt Russian seaborne shipping routes, especially for petroleum products and grain,” the ISW said.
The Azov Sea lies between Russia and the southern coast of Ukraine — which has been occupied by Moscow’s army since 2022 — and Russia-annexed Crimea.
It is an important export route for Russia to supply occupied Crimea as well as to transport agricultural products, including grain stolen from occupied Ukraine.
No way to supply Crimea
Ukraine’s successful long- and mid-range strike campaigns are causing panic and outrage among the Kremlin-affiliated outlets.
Moscow-controlled milbloggers are now questioning Russia’s “inadequate air defence capabilities” and the Kremlin’s “poor decision-making” that have left Russia and occupied Ukraine vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes.
A prominent Russian milblogger on Sunday blamed the crisis caused by Ukrainian strikes in western and other parts of Russia on Moscow officials’ “blatant carelessness,” emphasising that the Kremlin will not be able to quickly fix these issues.
Others are saying that Russia is struggling to protect its tankers in the Sea of Azov against Ukrainian drones, largely due to the lack of a unified shipping protection system.
Assessing the Kyiv strategy in the Sea of Azov, the ISW stated that “Russia’s inability to adapt its air defence systems to the rapidly adapting drone warfare that has characterised the past few years of the war in Ukraine is at odds with the offence-defence race that has characterised both sides’ strike campaigns.”
Moscow to redirect ships from Azov
Russia said on Tuesday it was looking for “alternative shipping routes” and could limit traffic in the Azov Sea due to intensifying strikes by Ukraine.
”Alternative shipping routes are currently being worked out in collaboration with relevant agencies and the business community,” Russia’s agriculture ministry said in a statement.
It insisted that exports would continue.
“The situation in the Azov Sea will not affect the domestic market’s food supply or our country’s export capabilities,” the ministry said.
The Russian transport ministry added it was “taking all necessary measures to ensure the smooth operation of freight logistics” as attacks rise.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin was working to stop the attacks.