Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian "Shadow Fleet", Crimea Faces Fuel Shortage

(CNA Taipei, April 7, 2024, Reuters) The Ukrainian military announced today that over the past two days, Ukrainian drones have attacked 12 Russian "shadow fleet" oil tankers that were transporting fuel to the strategically vital, Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.

Reuters reported that the Ukrainian military stated they had hit 8 sanctioned oil tankers in the Sea of Azov, each with a deadweight tonnage of approximately 7,000 tons, and later hit another 2. The Sea of Azov is a crucial supply route for Russian forces in Crimea and other occupied areas in southern Ukraine.

This is the latest action by Ukraine to weaken the Crimean Peninsula. The Ukrainian drone forces indicated that the day before this operation, another 2 "shadow fleet" vessels were attacked in the same waters.

Ukraine has intensified attacks on Crimea's logistics and energy infrastructure in recent weeks, leading to fuel shortages and a state of emergency in the region.

Ukraine's attacks this week have also included targeting power substations, radar systems, and missile facilities. Russia has not publicly commented on these actions.

In an interview last month, the commander of the Ukrainian drone forces, Robert Brovdi, pledged to effectively sever the connection between Crimea and Russia through a series of attacks.

Footage provided by the Ukrainian military shows ships on fire after being attacked, with a statement saying, "Striking enemy maritime logistics will make it more difficult for the Russian army to supply the fuel and ammunition needed to maintain its operations. These attacks are mainly taking place within Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by Russia."

According to Reuters' verification, among the 7 identified vessels initially reported as hit today, only 2 were under international sanctions.

For a long time, Ukraine has urged its allies to strengthen crackdowns on vessels evading sanctions and transporting Russian oil to international markets. They have used drone boats in the Black Sea in attempts to impact the energy revenues Moscow relies on.

Additionally, a series of unexplained explosions have occurred on oil tankers that docked at Russian ports, though Ukraine has remained non-committal about its involvement. Maritime security sources suspect Kyiv is orchestrating these events behind the scenes. (Compiled by Qu Xiangping) 1150708

Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.