---
title: "Strike against the 'shadow fleet': Ukrainian Armed Forces hit Russian cargo ship 'Leonid Pestrikov' in Berdyansk"
description: "🚢 The AFU struck the Russian cargo ship 'Leonid Pestrikov' in the port of Berdyansk. A heavy 'Zozulya' UAV with a 50 kg warhead was used for the attack. The ship, which is under US and Ukrainian sanctions, was used to export grain and operated as part of the 'shadow fleet' 🇺🇦🇷🇺"
date: 2026-06-01T19:46:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/strike-against-shadow-fleet-afu-hits-russian-cargo-ship-leonid-pestrikov-in-berdyansk
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Strike against the 'shadow fleet': Ukrainian Armed Forces hit Russian cargo ship 'Leonid Pestrikov' in Berdyansk

![Ukrainian soldier carries a combat drone in a field, symbolizing modern methods of fighting Russia's shadow fleet](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/01/vse-udari-po-sukhogradu-leonid-pestrikov-v-berdyanske/vse-udari-po-sukhogradu-leonid-pestrikov-v-berdyanske-1.webp)

### Strike on logistics: cargo ship in Berdyansk port

Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) struck the Russian cargo ship 'Leonid Pestrikov'. The attack took place in the port of the city of Berdyansk, which is under temporary occupation. Official confirmation of the operation came from the 422nd Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment (Separate UAV Regiment) 'LUFTWAFFE'.

According to the agency, the initiator of the use of strike force was the command of the 17th Separate Special Forces Brigade 'Kraken'. Initially, it was planned to use 'FrontStrike' class UAVs to carry out the task, but the commander decided that this was not enough to guarantee the destruction of the target. Instead, a more powerful 'MidStrike' class device was deployed — the 'Zozulya' drone.

### Attack characteristics and damage

A 50 kg cumulative-explosive warhead was used to destroy the ship. The regiment's statement notes that the cargo ship sustained significant damage. The incident demonstrates the evolution of tactics in the use of unmanned systems, where heavy warheads are used to attack stationary targets in ports.

'Leonid Pestrikov' is a universal cargo ship designed for sea and combined navigation (river/sea). Built in 2021, the ship is 141 meters long and has a deadweight of 8,100 tons. It is equipped with two cargo holds and is actively used by the Russian Federation for transporting cargo in the waters of the Black and Mediterranean Seas.

### Sanctions and the 'shadow' fleet

The ship has long been in the spotlight of Western and Ukrainian regulators. In 2023, 'Leonid Pestrikov' was sanctioned by the US as part of restrictions against ships linked to Russian transport infrastructure. In 2025, Ukraine also imposed sanctions on it, classifying it as part of the 'shadow fleet'.

According to available data, the ship was used to export Ukrainian grain from occupied Berdyansk. Its route included voyages from Sevastopol to ports in Syria and other countries in the Middle East. In logistics chains, the ship regularly visited ports in Turkey, Egypt, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

Experts note that cases of the AIS (Automatic Identification System) being turned off were recorded in relation to 'Leonid Pestrikov'. Such actions are viewed as an attempt to hide the real route and evade sanctions restrictions.

### Context of attacks on the merchant fleet

The strike on the cargo ship in Berdyansk comes against the backdrop of a series of incidents involving 'shadow fleet' vessels. Recently, three tankers were attacked off the coast of Turkey, which had been under the scrutiny of the Ukrainian side for a long time due to systematic sanctions violations.

The international community is also actively responding to the activities of such ships. In particular, on June 1, the French Navy boarded the sanctioned oil tanker 'Tagor' in the Atlantic Ocean. These events indicate that the fight against the 'shadow fleet' is becoming one of the key areas in modern maritime security.