Ukraine’s Drone Force Hits 13 More Russian Shadow Fleet Ships, Reaching 196 Total

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) claimed that they struck 13 vessels tied to Russia's shadow fleet in the Black and Azov seas within 48 hours on July 21 and 22, as part of the ongoing “MoLoChKa” maritime campaign.

The claim appeared in a statement published by SBS Commander Maj. Robert “Madyar” Brovdi was reported by RBC-Ukraine on July 22. According to the statement, the campaign has targeted 196 vessels since it began.

"MoLoChKa: +13 (196 total) shadow-fleet vessels warned by fire over 48 hours on July 21–22 about the inadvisability of loitering in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in the interests of the aggressor country: 1 tanker, 10 dry cargo ships, and 2 tugboats," the statement read.

The 13 vessels, as itemized in the statement, broke down as:

• one tanker;

• 10 dry cargo ships;

• two tugboats.

In the same statement, Brovdi reported that the SBS operation “Crimean Switch Off” struck 13 energy hubs and electrical substations on July 21-22, including 11 in temporarily occupied Crimea and two elsewhere in temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine.

He added that the operation had hit 117 energy targets between July 1 and July 22, with supporting evidence to be released later.

The “MoLoChKa” operation began on July 6. Ukrainian officials describe the campaign as targeting Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a network of commercial vessels used to transport Russian oil and petroleum products despite foreign sanctions.

The 196-vessel figure caps a maritime drone campaign Ukraine has run since early July. By Ukrainian accounts, the tally reached 159 vessels across the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea by July 17, with 117 hit in the Azov and 42 in the Black Sea.

That count climbed to 172 within 13 days by July 18, then to 176 vessels, alongside 96 energy facilities, struck between July 1 and July 19.

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