Maritime drone campaign by the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces against russia's "shadow fleet" — tankers, gas carriers, dry cargo vessels, ferries, tugboats and floating cranes circumventing sanctions and directly financing the war. Started in the Sea of Azov, expanded to the Black Sea within nine days.
"MoLOChKa" — maritime drone campaign of the Unmanned Systems Forces against russia's "shadow fleet": vessels circumventing sanctions and transporting oil, fuel, and other cargo directly financing the war. The USF Commander publicly defends the strikes as against legitimate military targets: the tactic — strike primarily small courier supply tankers first, not immediately the large export ones, because one large tanker is filled by 12–15 small vessels.
6 July 2026 the Unmanned Systems Forces jointly with the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched the "MoLOChKa" maritime drone campaign in the Azov Sea, striking the first two shadow fleet tankers — "Kapitan Barmin" and "Sanar-3" (project 15781, ~7,000 tons of gasoline each) on the Taganrog — occupied Crimea route; that same night struck the Kerch refinery, Nebo-U radar, and two S-400 SAM systems.
Sources: LB.ua
15 July 2026 (Ukrainian Statehood Day) the USF officially expanded operation "MoLOChKa" to the Black Sea, striking 20 vessels (17 oil tankers, 2 gas tankers, 1 tugboat) in 24 hours. Commander Brovdi: "The first round of the naval battle is complete. Now the Black Sea."
Sources: Kyiv Independent
Fuel blockade of the shadow fleet — one of three vectors of the broader campaign to isolate occupied Crimea (together with energy blockade and logistical lockdown of the land corridor): see "Cutting Off Crimea". "MoLOChKa" — official name and expansion of this maritime vector from 06.07.2026.
In July 2026 "MoLOChKa" operated in tandem with other named USF campaigns the Commander runs in parallel: "Crimean Switch off" — energy blockade of the peninsula (166 struck energy targets 01–29.07, from 330 kV substations in Kerch and Feodosia to TOT Kherson region nodes); "Wild Berry" — series of strikes on Wildberries marketplace logistics hubs serving russia's military logistics (8 hubs in July, from Elektrostal to Krasnodar); "PPOpad" — systematic air defense hunting (35 elements in July). The Commander's channel calls "Wild Berry" and "MoLOChKa" "twins" — maritime and land millstones of one pressure campaign.
Sources: TG 2677 (30.07) · TG 2684 (01.08, monthly summary) · TG 2676
The USF cumulative count grew daily — from the first two vessels 06.07 to 260 as of 31.08.2026. Each point below — a separate statement by the USF Commander, cross-verified by a dated media source.
Sources: Kyiv Post · Kyiv Independent, 15.07 · Kyiv Independent, 17.07 · Kyiv Independent, 18.07 · Euromaidan Press, 29.07 · LB.ua, 30.07 · Commander-in-Chief, 01.08 · Telegram @robert_magyar, 08.08 · Telegram @usf_army, 08.08 · Telegram @robert_magyar, 16.08 · Telegram @robert_magyar, 22.08 · Telegram @robert_magyar, 01.09
Sources: LB.ua, 30.07 · Euromaidan Press, 29.07
August distribution by waters was not published separately by the USF — the cumulative 218/228/242/260 was given only as a total number (134 Azov + 108 Black Sea as of 22.08.2026, per last known clarification).
31 vessels with individual names from the USF public strike database for July–August 2026 — "naval" type extract from the strike map. Each entry — a separate statement with source link.
| Date | Vessel | Waters | Units | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-06 | Tanker "Kapitan Barmin" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds", 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-06 | Tanker "Sanar-3" (shadow fleet, Primemax type) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds", 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Ferry "SKS One" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Aleksey Savrasov" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Climene" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Ivan Cheremysinov" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Penelope" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Sanar-17" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Sanar-1" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Teti" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Venera-3" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Cargo vessel "Donstar" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Cargo vessel "Evgenia Z" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Cargo vessel "Feofan Shokhirev" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Cargo vessel "Vladimir Yarygin" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Efrosynia V" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Mariya" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Sanar-4" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tugboat "Alfeo" with barge "Afrodyta" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Vessel "Merkuriy" (shadow fleet, type to be clarified) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Aura" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Chelsi-6" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Haliaskar Kamal" (shadow fleet, Panama flag) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Ilya Repin" (shadow fleet) | Azov Sea | 414th Brigade "Magyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-19 | Ferry "Yeisk" | AR Crimea | jointly with SBU | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-19 | Ferry "Lavrentiy" | AR Crimea | jointly with SBU, HUR | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-19 | Ferry "Maria" | AR Crimea | jointly with SBU | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-19 | Ferry "Panagia" | AR Crimea | jointly with SBU, HUR | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-09 | 1 oil tanker | Black Sea | 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-09 | 2 cargo vessels | Black Sea | 413th Regiment "Raid", 412th Brigade "Nemesis" | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-24 | Shadow fleet vessels (tanker and bulker) | Black Sea | USF Birds (without unit detail) | TG↗ |
According to the USF Commander's statement (08.08.2026), in the Gelendzhik area a Russian shadow fleet vessel was struck by a USF Bird despite attempted interception by three guided missiles from Pantsir-S1 SPAAG. Telegram @robert_magyar
Besides named targets, USF published periodic summaries without breakdown by names — 22 such entries for July–August 2026:
| Date | Description | Waters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-08 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (21 units: 19 tankers, 1 dry cargo, 1 ferry) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (9 tanker units overnight) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-10 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (13 units: 10 tankers, 1 dry cargo, 1 ferry, 1 tugboat) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-10 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (48 units over 120 hours) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-11 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (28 units: 21 tankers, 4 tugboats, 2 dry cargo, 1 special craft) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-11 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (76 units over 6 days) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (14 units) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (14 units: 10 tankers, 4 ferries) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (90 units per week) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-13 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (15 units: 7 tankers, 5 dry cargo, 1 ferry, 2 tugboats) | Azov Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-15 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (20 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-16 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (11 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-17 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (12 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-18 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (13 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-19 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (4 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-20 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (7 units: 3 tankers, 4 dry cargo) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-22 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (13 units: 1 tanker, 10 dry cargo, 2 tugboats) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-28 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (201 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-08 | +12 vessels for 1–8 August (218 since 06.07: 134 Azov, 84 Black) | Azov + Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-16 | 228 vessels since start of operation (22 in first half of August) | Azov + Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-22 | 242 vessels (134 Azov + 108 Black), 36 in August | Azov + Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-08-31 | August summary: 54 vessels for the month, 260 since 06.07.2026 | Azov + Black Sea | TG↗ |
Ferries marked "jointly with SBU" — joint USF and Security Service operations; separate, purely-SBU strikes are not included in the 260 count.
As of 19.07.2026 the throughput capacity of the Kerch ferry crossing decreased by 75% — jointly with SBU: the headline of the original report directly names the joint USF+SBU attribution. Among the struck ferries — "Eysk", "Lavrentiy", "Maria", "Panagia" (see table above).
Sources: WZ.lviv.ua · Censor.NET · Telegram @robert_magyar
On 18 July 2026 the USF Commander stated that Russia redeployed up to 200 crews of the "Rubicon" drone unit from the frontline to protect the "shadow fleet" (one crew per vessel), as well as units of the 51st Air Defense Division and the Black Sea Fleet's anti-aircraft missile regiment.
Sources: Telegram @robert_magyar · Kyiv Independent
On 12 August 2026 the USF Commander announced a combined strike on the naval base and port infrastructure of Novorossiysk — watercraft and port facilities. On 13.08.2026 specialist publication Naval News confirmed via satellite imagery damage to two Russian frigates of Project 11356R ("Admiral Essen" and "Admiral Makarov"), a Buyan-M corvette and a Project 22160 patrol ship — a rare case when a claimed target received independent confirmation (not from USF).
Sources: Telegram @robert_magyar · Naval News
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterized USF strikes on the shadow fleet as "terrorism". The direct quote from the Russian MFA has not been verified first-hand in this study — low-to-medium confidence, secondary source.
International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called for a halt to unjustified attacks on civilian shipping related to geopolitical conflicts: such actions "endanger seafarers, threaten the safety of navigation, disrupt global supply chains, and undermine the principles underpinning international shipping". The statement does not name Ukraine or USF directly — phrased as an appeal to all parties to conflicts.
Sources: IMO (official press statement)
The July 2026 naval campaign became one of the month's top global military stories — from major agencies and business media to specialist maritime publications and market reports. Below are articles from Reuters, Bloomberg, Financial Times, WSJ, Al Jazeera, trade maritime and defense press, plus three specific market consequences in figures. Episodes near the CPC terminal outside Novorossiysk are described by the world press separately from the "MoLoChKa" count — this section records what the press writes, not a separate tally.
The campaign expanded from Azov to the Black Sea: 17 oil tankers, 2 gas carriers, and a tugboat struck overnight, quoting USF Commander Robert Brovdi.
Maritime drones struck two large tankers — Louise 1 and Banda — in the Black Sea; attribution to the Security Service of Ukraine.
The Sheskharis terminal in Novorossiysk — about 20% of Russia's seaborne oil exports — halted loading after a series of drone strikes.
Russia halted passage through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal after the strike on 13 vessels in the Sea of Azov; grain futures rose.
Lead story of the month: inside report from "Magyar's Birds" brigade — 180+ vessels and maritime targets struck in three weeks, goal — to blockade Crimea supplies.
The Trump administration, following Chevron's appeal, warned Kyiv against strikes on non-Russian tankers in the Black Sea (CPC terminal, Kazakh oil).
Strikes on Russia in the Sea of Azov matched or exceeded in intensity the Iran-Iraq "tanker war" of the 1980s — parallel drawn by Ambrey analyst.
Ukrainian drones set fire to Russian oil facilities and more tankers in the Sea of Azov amid a fuel crisis in the country.
USF Commander Robert Brovdi: 19 tankers, a cargo ship, and a ferry struck July 6–8; SBU reported a strike on a terminal in St. Petersburg.
Brovdi: another 11 vessels struck overnight, nine-day campaign total — 116; Russia preparing to reroute exports.
Operation "Molochka" is strangling occupied Crimea without fuel and electricity; Kerch ferries knocked out.
Strikes on the CPC terminal in Novorossiysk are forcing Kazakhstan to halt oil shipments, hitting the state budget.
Sea Baby maritime drone retrofitted as carrier for 6–8 FPV drones and thermobaric missiles; claimed range increased to ~1,500 km.
Drones struck about 12 sanctioned tankers (roughly 7,000 t each) supplying fuel to Crimea in two days in the Sea of Azov.
Raid on the night of July 7: 10 vessels (8 tankers, a cargo ship, a ferry) struck by "Kairos" battalion of the 414th "Magyar's Birds" brigade.
35 vessels struck in 96 hours, including Yasa Polaris (Chevron) and sanctioned Blue; Zelenskyy stated the goal — to bring war's end closer via strikes on Russian oil-energy.
About 80 vessels struck in 6 days; the 414th "Magyar's Birds" brigade reported 28 shadow-fleet tankers in one night.
Three tankers (Asia/Chevron, Nissos Ios, Nelsa) struck while loading at CPC terminal in 24 hours; 22 sailors evacuated from Nelsa.
Zelenskyy confirmed strike on Greek tanker Bourda (105,600 dwt) and sinking of Russian vessel Yanina (Fesco) in the Black Sea.
Suezmax rates in the Black Sea rose 25% in one week — to $253,728/day — against the backdrop of simultaneous crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.
War-risk insurance premiums in the Black Sea rose above 1% of vessel value (market estimates 0.6–1.5%) amid escalating attacks by both sides.
Brent broke through $100/barrel for the first time since May; the CPC terminal halted loading, Kazakhstan's output (1.7 million bpd) under threat of cuts.
According to the USF statement, from 1 to 8 August another 12 shadow fleet vessels were hit, bringing the total since the operation began to 218 vessels (134 Sea of Azov, 84 Black Sea).
Reports the tally of 12 vessels hit during 1–8 August (218 since the operation began) and explicitly states it cannot independently confirm these data.
About simultaneous strikes on shadow fleet tankers from multiple directions within Operation "MoLOChKa".
Confirms from satellite imagery the damage to two Russian Project 11356R frigates in Novorossiysk on 12 August—a rare independent verification of a result claimed by the USF.
All figures on this page are officially claimed results via the channel of USF Commander Robert Brovdi, with a link to the primary source beside each entry. Cross-referenced publications from world media are collected in the "International Press" section above.
What is NOT included in the 260 count: individual marine-drone operations by the Security Service of Ukraine against shadow fleet vessels—this is a different unit with its own statements, not attributed to the USF; as well as episodes near the oil-loading terminal outside Novorossiysk, which the world press describes separately (see "International Press" section)—these are not consolidated into one count with "MoLOChKa".
All publicly claimed USF strikes on the map and in a filtered table, July 2026 onward.
All maritime hits on the mapThree vectors of peninsula isolation: energy blockade, fuel blockade "MoLOChKa", logistics lockdown.
Open sectionMonthly digest of international publications and official reports about the USF Commander.
Open sectionOfficial scoreboard of verified USF hits by month, by target category.
Open section