Ukraine Disables 300 Russian Ships in Drone Campaign

Major Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, announced that drone crews have disabled 300 ships in Russia's shadow fleet since July 6. The campaign, known as Operation MoLoChKa, uses AI-equipped aerial drones to target tankers and bulk carriers transporting sanctioned Russian oil and gas. Brovdi reported that 166 ships were disabled in the Black Sea and 134 in the Sea of Azov, aiming to paralyze logistics without sinking vessels to prevent oil spills.

Russia condemned the strikes as worse than piracy and responded by attacking Ukrainian port infrastructure and commercial shipping. On September 23, Russian forces struck a commercial cargo ship sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda near Odesa. Oleg Kiper, head of the Odesa region, confirmed the attack killed the ship's captain, a Ukrainian citizen.

The conflict has severely disrupted regional shipping, forcing Russia to divert grain exports to Baltic and Arctic ports and pushing Ukraine toward the Danube. Data from the IMEAK chamber of shipping indicates at least 226 civilian and commercial vessels have been hit in the Black Sea since February 2022, with 163 of those attacks occurring in the first eight months of 2026. Despite proposals to end strikes on civilian shipping, neither combatant has ceased operations.