Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Force (USF) said on Tuesday, September 22, that its drones have disabled 300 Russian-linked vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov since July 6 of this year.
Commander Robert Brovdi said the USF’s “Birds” units have put 134 vessels in the Sea of Azov and 166 in the Black Sea out of self-propelled operation.
The reported strikes formed part of Operation Molochka, which has been ongoing for 11 weeks. The 300-vessel total is a Ukrainian military claim and has not been independently verified.
Brovdi described the targets as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” Most of the targeted vessels were tankers carrying fuel or other energy products and dry bulk carriers.
Ukraine said the ships were supplying Russian-occupied Crimea or carrying Russian exports.
Brovdi said the campaign was intended to disable vessels without sinking them, reducing the risk of oil spills.
“The Sea of Azov is at a standstill and will remain so, along with the Kerch Strait,” he said in comments published by Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda. “In the northern and north-eastern parts of the Black Sea, it's a case of, 'maybe we'll get through'.”
Brovdi also claimed that Ukrainian forces struck 159 tankers during a 12-day period at the beginning of July.
The campaign has coincided with broader attacks on commercial ships and port infrastructure. Swiss shipping company MSC suspended new bookings to and from Novorossiysk after MSC Ulsan III was attacked by a drone while sailing towards the Russian port.