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After Fleeing the Sea of Azov, Over 50 Russian Ships Are Hiding Out in the Black Sea
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Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) appear to have driven most Russian tankers and cargo vessels out of the Sea of Azov after an eight-day drone campaign that reportedly hit 105 ships, Defense Express wrote on July 13.
Satellite imagery and the latest strike report indicate that Russia has now concentrated more than 50 tankers and other vessels on the Black Sea side of the Taman Peninsula, apparently attempting to move them beyond the most heavily targeted waters.
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Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of SBS, said Ukrainian drones attacked 15 Russian shadow fleet vessels overnight on July 13. The targets included seven tankers, five cargo ships, one ferry, and two tugboats.
That brought the reported total to 105 vessels hit over eight days.
The number of tankers struck during the latest attack was lower than during the first major raid overnight on July 7, when eight tankers were hit. However, the drop appears to reflect a shortage of remaining targets in the Sea of Azov rather than reduced Ukrainian effectiveness.
Public satellite images from the European Space Agency taken on July 11 and 12 show that, outside Taganrog Bay, most of the Sea of Azov was almost empty of large vessels, Defense Express notes.
Around 25 ships remained in the southern part of the sea near the Taman Peninsula as of July 12. Radar satellite imagery also showed bright streaks attributed to interference from Russian electronic warfare systems.
A much larger concentration was visible on the opposite side of the peninsula in the Black Sea, where more than 50 ships were gathered in several groups roughly nine to 19 miles offshore.
Some vessels were positioned side by side closely, suggesting that cargo transfers may have been underway at sea. Smaller craft were also visible nearby, potentially tugboats or security vessels operated by Russian forces.
Two additional groups farther south may have been waiting for their turn to transfer cargo.
According to Defense Express, the imagery suggests Russia is reorganizing maritime logistics after repeated Ukrainian drone strikes made the Sea of Azov increasingly dangerous for tankers, ferries, cargo vessels, and support ships.
Previously, reports emerged that Ukraine’s SBS destroyed or damaged 1,725 unique Russian targets over the past 24 hours.
Overall, Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out deep strike operations against 697 targets inside Russia during the first six months of 2026, inflicting an estimated $6.1 billion or more in direct and indirect economic losses, according to Ukraine’s military command.
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