Russia has suspended shipping through the strategically vital Sea of Azov after an intense wave of Ukrainian drone strikes targeted dozens of vessels, energy sites and transport links, escalating Kyiv's campaign to cripple Moscow's wartime logistics. Ukraine says nearly 90 vessels have been hit in less than a week, with the latest attacks striking tankers, ferries and an oil refinery as pressure mounts on Russia's military supply network. Ukraine says drones struck 14 Russian shadow fleet vessels | Watch Shipping Corridor Grinds To A Halt Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said his units struck 10 tankers and four ferries overnight, alongside a major oil refinery in Syzran and electricity substations in occupied Crimea. Reuters reported that Russia suspended shipping through the Don-Azov canal on Friday, disrupting a crucial export route linking the Sea of Azov with Russia's inland river network, the Kerch Strait and international markets. The corridor is central to transporting oil, grain and other commodities. Kyiv Targets Russia's Lifeline Brovdi claimed Russia's so-called shadow fleet, used to move sanctioned oil exports, was shrinking under sustained Ukrainian attacks and could no longer operate freely through the Kerch Strait. Former Ukrainian defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk said the disruption had cut off a critical maritime corridor used to supply military forces and transport grain from occupied Ukrainian territory. He argued the closure had effectively trapped Russian shipping operating through the Caspian Sea network. Energy Infrastructure Under Relentless Pressure Residents in Syzran reported explosions before dawn, with images showing a major fire and thick smoke rising from the city's oil refinery. Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted refineries, fuel depots and transport hubs as part of a long-range campaign against Russia's energy sector. Analysts say the strategy aims to degrade Moscow's ability to sustain offensive operations by disrupting fuel supplies, logistics and transport infrastructure rather than seeking immediate battlefield gains. Smoke rises after what the Ukrainian authorities say was a drone strike on a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Sea of Azov. Photograph: Commander of Unmanned Aerial Systems Force/Reuters© Photograph: Commander of Unmanned Aerial Systems Force/Reuters Pressure Mounts On Both Sides The strikes have reportedly contributed to fuel shortages and power disruptions in occupied Crimea while forcing Russia to adapt shipping routes and reinforce vulnerable infrastructure. Despite Ukraine's growing reach deep inside Russian territory, Moscow continues its aerial assaults. Overnight Russian attacks killed civilians in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions, underlining that both sides remain locked in an increasingly expansive war of attrition stretching far beyond the front line. Ukrainian drone strikes force Russia to suspend shipping in Sea of Azov
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