Financial Times: Ukraine's Sea of Azov operation causes panic in the Kremlin

Ukrainian drone forces have executed one of their most significant operations against the Russian navy in the Sea of Azov, striking over 110 Russian vessels in just nine days since July 6, according to the Financial Times. The intensity and scale of these attacks have surpassed records seen even during the "tanker wars" between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s.

Senior analyst Thomas Alex of maritime security agency Ambrey described the operation's scope as "unusual," noting that the number of attacks in such a short period is unprecedented globally. In a single night, drones hit 11 more Russian ships, including five tankers, five cargo vessels, and one small craft, bringing the total number of damaged vessels to 116.

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It is difficult to even convey the unusual scale of this operation. There have never been so many attacks in the world in such a short period.

The stated objective of this operation is to systematically disrupt the enemy's logistics chain. By disabling tankers, cargo ships, and support vessels, Ukraine aims to impede oil and petroleum product exports, restrict maritime transport, and reduce the enemy's capacity to supply fuel to its military forces and occupation groups in Crimea.

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This operation's goal is to systematically disrupt the enemy's logistics chain.

Ukrainian drone forces typically target crew quarters and pipelines on the ships, aiming for precise strikes that can inflict substantial damage. These attacks have already had repercussions on the global grain market. Russia, a leading wheat exporter, saw wheat futures prices climb to a six-week high on July 10. Approximately a quarter of Russia's grain exports usually pass through the Sea of Azov ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk.

In response, Russia's Ministry of Agriculture announced that grain exports would be rerouted away from the Sea of Azov. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned Ukraine's actions as "terrorism," stating, "What the Ukrainian regime is engaged in is not even piracy. Pirates at least steal something and take it for themselves. Here they don't appropriate anything – they just cause damage and sow fear."

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What the Ukrainian regime is engaged in is not even piracy. Pirates at least steal something and take it for themselves. Here they don't appropriate anything – they just cause damage and sow fear.

Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, indicated that the attacks also aim to disrupt fuel supplies to civilians in occupied Crimea. Kyiv hopes that a fuel shortage will encourage people to leave Crimea, a popular summer destination for Russian tourists. He noted that Russia has deployed a record number of tankers to Crimea to replenish fuel reserves in response to the attacks, but emphasized that Ukrainian drones are "intensively destroying Russia's shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov."

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intensively destroying Russia's shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov