Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck seven vessels and seven energy facilities in occupied Crimea overnight, bringing Operation Molochka's running total to 183 shadow fleet ships.
Overnight, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces carried out another strike against the logistics that keep Russia's occupation of Crimea running. Seven vessels of Russia's so-called shadow fleet and seven energy facilities on the peninsula were hit — the latest episode in a campaign that has been running since the start of July. Volunteers Support Ukraine is following this operation closely, since the length of time the occupation can sustain its supply lines in the south depends directly on how effectively this maritime and energy blockade holds.
According to Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, drones hit three tankers and four dry cargo ships in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas. In parallel, seven energy infrastructure sites near Yalta, Morske, Pryvitne and Luchyste were targeted, and six Russian air defense assets were destroyed. The military has not disclosed the exact extent of the damage to the vessels struck, citing operational security.
The operation, whose name translates roughly as "Moscow will fall because of Crimea," has been underway since July 6. Between July 1 and July 20, Ukrainian drones struck 183 vessels — 119 in the Sea of Azov and 64 in the Black Sea — along with 103 energy facilities and 25 air defense assets, including 12 radar systems. One consequence has been a 75% drop in the capacity of the Kerch Strait ferry crossing: three of its five ferries have been destroyed, cutting into a route that previously moved 180 to 250 vehicles a day, up to 80% of them in support of Russia's military.
The shadow fleet consists of dozens of aging, often barely insured tankers that Russia uses to dodge international sanctions and keep fuel flowing to its forces in Crimea. Taking that many vessels and ferries out of service directly undercuts the occupation's ability to sustain logistics on the southern front. The Volunteers Support Ukraine team sees, day to day, how disrupting these routes shapes the intensity of shelling in front-line regions — which is why every update on Operation Molochka is more than a number in a briefing; it is a real dent in what the occupier can still move.
NGO Volunteers Support Ukraine keeps helping people affected by the war in whatever way its available resources allow — from humanitarian support for families in front-line regions to the reporting work that keeps the world informed. Follow our updates for the fuller picture of what Ukraine is living through on day 1,610 of the full-scale invasion.
