On the night of Thursday, July 16, Ukrainian operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) struck another 11 vessels belonging to Russia's so-called «shadow fleet». This was announced by the Commander of the USF, Robert «Madyar» Brovdi, confirming information previously reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Strategy of «Logistics Paralysis»
The attack is part of a large-scale operation that the military calls «Molochka». Between July 6 and July 16, Ukrainian drones have already struck 147 Russian vessels. The strategy of the strike is clearly defined: the goal is not the physical destruction of the ships, but to disable them.
«The goal: to paralyze the logistics of oil, fuel, and cargo bypassing sanctions. Turn every self-propelled vessel into a drifting barge, blind and deaf», — emphasized «Madyar».
The Commander also noted the environmental aspect of the operation. «The goal is not to spoil the water area with oil stains, so no hull breaches», — he added. This means that strikes are directed at navigation and communication equipment, leaving the hull intact but rendering the vessel incapable of independent movement.
Scale of Attacks
The offensive against the Russian fleet is gaining momentum. Just a few days prior to July 16, on the night of July 15, USF operators struck 20 vessels. Among them were 17 oil tankers, two gas tankers, and one tugboat.
Previously, on July 14, Ukrainian military forces, using a sea drone, destroyed the Russian FSB border guard ship «Izumrud» off the coast of Novorossiysk. This ship is known for its role in the 2018 incident, where it participated in the attack on Ukrainian Navy ships in the Kerch Strait area.
