International

Ukraine: We targeted 13 ships of the Russian 'shadow fleet'

In the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, the attacks included oil and gas tankers, cargo ships, and sea tugs, according to the Ukrainian army.

Davit Kachkachishvili, Muhammed Kılıç

July 18, 2026•Update: July 18, 2026

Archive

KIEV

Kiev / Anadolu

The Ukrainian army announced on Saturday that its forces targeted 13 ships it said belong to the so-called Russian 'shadow fleet,' which Moscow uses to circumvent restrictions on its oil exports.

Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Army, Robert Brovdi, explained that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Friday evening targeting 13 ships belonging to the Russian 'shadow fleet.'

Brovdi added via his account on the American platform Facebook that the attacks on ships believed to be Russian in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov are still ongoing.

He stated that the targeted ships included oil and gas tankers, cargo ships, sea tugs, and floating cranes.

Brovdi also published video clips he said document the aforementioned attacks.

In a related context, the Ukrainian Navy announced that the Russian army launched an air strike on a cargo ship in the port of Odesa.

It stated that the attack resulted in the death of a civilian, adding that 17 civilian sailors of Filipino nationality were safely evacuated ashore as part of a rescue operation.

Since February 24, 2022, Russia has been waging a military attack on its neighbor Ukraine, demanding that Kyiv abandon joining Western military entities to end it, which Kyiv considers 'interference' in its affairs.