Ukrainian drone strikes force Russia to suspend shipping in Sea of Azov

Russia has suspended shipping in the Sea of Azov following a series of Ukrainian drone attacks that have targeted approximately 90 vessels in less than a week. The Ukrainian drone forces chief, Robert Brovdi, announced Sunday that his units had successfully struck 10 tankers and four ferries overnight, in addition to a significant oil refinery in the city of Syzran. Multiple strikes also hit electricity substations in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Brovdi declared on social media that the "technological humiliation of the [Russian] empire continues. It will fall because of Crimea." He asserted that Moscow's "shadow fleet," used to transport sanctioned oil products globally, is "noticeably shrinking" and can no longer utilize the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. This waterway is crucial for Russia's economy, facilitating the export of oil, grain, and steel.

Russia had already suspended shipping through the Don-Azov canal on Friday, a route connecting to its river network and the Caspian Sea. This effectively shuts down the export route via Kerch and Turkey's Bosphorus Strait. Ukraine's former defense minister, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, stated that the Kremlin has lost control of a "critical" maritime corridor, impacting military vessels and shipments of grain stolen from occupied southern Ukraine.

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The technological humiliation of the [Russian] empire continues. It will fall because of Crimea.

Zagorodnyuk explained that the Caspian Sea, lacking direct ocean access, has become a "lake," with all its products reliant on this channel and river system for export. He predicted further strikes on Russian ships in and around the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Ukraine's systematic destruction of Russian radar and anti-aircraft defenses has enabled these long-range strikes, including a recent attack on an oil refinery in Omsk, over 2,700 kilometers from Ukrainian territory.

Residents in Syzran reported hearing drones and explosions early Sunday, with images showing a large fire at the oil refinery. The complex supplies fuel to the Russian military and is a key export point via the Azov-Kerch canal. Kyiv has also targeted land and sea supply routes into Crimea, hitting lorries, ships, and crossing points.

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The Caspian Sea doesn’t have any connection to the world’s oceans. It has turned into a lake. All of its products – agricultural, fertiliser, whatever – go through this channel and river.