--- title: "Night of Fire: Ukrainian Forces Destroy Six Shadow Fleet Tankers and Key Bridges in Crimea and Donbas" description: "Ukrainian forces launched a massive strike against the Russian economy and logistics on the night of July 16: 6 \"shadow fleet\" tankers and strategic bridges in Crimea were destroyed. 🚒πŸ’₯ The SBU and Navy used \"Mamai\" maritime drones to attack the vessels, ignoring attempts by Russian aviation to disrupt the operation. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸš«πŸ‡·πŸ‡Ί" date: 2026-07-16T07:52:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/night-of-fire-ukrainian-forces-destroy-six-shadow-fleet-tankers-and-key-bridges-in-crimea-and-donbas tags: [ukraine, russia, shadow-fleet, sbu, war] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Night of Fire: Ukrainian Forces Destroy Six Shadow Fleet Tankers and Key Bridges in Crimea and Donbas ![Ukrainian soldier with a drone against a clear sky, symbolizing precise strikes on enemy infrastructure](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/usu-nanuli-udar-po-tenevomu-flotu-i-mostam-v-krimu/usu-nanuli-udar-po-tenevomu-flotu-i-mostam-v-krimu-1.webp) On the night of July 16, Ukrainian forces carried out a large-scale series of strikes against critical Russian military and economic infrastructure. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the attacks resulted in the destruction or damage of vessels involved in oil transportation, as well as strategic crossings in occupied regions. ### Strike against the "Shadow Fleet" and Logistics The main blow was delivered to the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, where Ukrainian defense forces struck six tankers and two tugboats. These vessels are part of the so-called "shadow fleet" that Russia uses to bypass international sanctions. The tankers are engaged in transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products, as well as supplying fuel for the needs of the Russian army. In particular, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) together with the Naval Forces (Navy) struck the tankers "Louise 1" and "Banda". Maritime drones "Mamai" were used to carry out the operation. The tanker "Louise 1" was involved in oil transportation during the period of the G7 and EU embargo. The vessel "Banda" was transporting raw materials from the ports of Ust-Luga, Kerch, Novorossiysk, and Nakhodka. Attempts by Russian aviation to disrupt the operation were unsuccessful. Despite the use of machine-gun fire and bombing, Ukrainian forces completed the mission. ### Destruction of Infrastructure in Crimea and Donbas In addition to maritime targets, strikes were carried out against ground infrastructure supporting the enemy's military logistics. In the Donetsk region, the "Shakhtarsk" oil depot was hit. The extent of the damage is being clarified. Furthermore, during the operation, key transport arteries were attacked: - Road bridge in the Primorske area (Zaporizhzhia region). - Railway bridge "Sivash" in the Chongar area (Autonomous Republic of Crimea). These facilities are actively used by Russian occupiers to transport equipment and cargo. Also, in the Novodaryivka area (Luhansk region), an enemy electronic warfare train was hit.