Escalation in Ukrainian Maritime Strategy
A Ukrainian drone unit commander has announced an intensified phase in Kyiv’s maritime operations against Russia. Recent strikes have significantly reduced shipping traffic in the Sea of Azov. Robert Brovdi, leading Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, disclosed that 20 Russian vessels were targeted overnight in the Sea of Azov. This brings the total number of Russia-linked ships hit by Ukrainian drones to 136 between July 6 to 15, he stated.
The Sea of Azov, a crucial waterway for Russia’s oil exports, connects to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait. This strait links the occupied Crimean Peninsula with Russia. Brovdi emphasized that the current focus is targeting vessels from Russia’s “shadow fleet,” disguising their connections to evade sanctions due to President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Strategic Impact and Military Execution
“What makes the campaign remarkable is that it is occurring in some of the most heavily defended airspace in the Russian-controlled Black Sea littoral,” commented retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan on his Substack, Futura Doctrina.
Ryan explained that each vessel hit corresponds to a Russian air defense system also being struck, indicating a synchronized air and sea operation. Ukraine, lacking a conventional naval fleet in the Black Sea, has developed sea denial and control strategies using unmanned systems.
Further Strikes and Tactical Plans
Commander Brovdi, known by his call sign Magyar, is influential in Ukraine’s military operations. He introduced the use of FPV drones as strike weapons and leads the “Magyar’s Birds” unit, specializing in drone warfare. On Telegram, Brovdi reported that Ukrainian drones attacked 17 oil tankers, two gas tankers, and one tugboat overnight, showcasing footage purportedly of these nighttime strikes, coinciding with the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.
The Ukrainian Navy recently announced the sinking of the Russian FSB’s Izumrud border guard ship using a Sargan-3000 unmanned surface vehicle near Novorossiysk in Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Impact on Maritime Traffic
Brovdi stated in a Monday interview that rather than targeting the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea to Russia, Ukraine’s Defense Forces are isolating Crimea by disrupting logistics routes crucial for Russian forces. “There’s no fuel in Crimea now,” he pointed out, attributing shortages to strikes on energy facilities.
Maritime traffic in the Sea of Azov dropped from 132 ships on July 6 to 43 on July 12, according to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery by open-source channel Oko Gora. Only smaller vessels like tugboats remain in these waters.
Newsweek has reached out to the Russian defense ministry for comments.