Naval drone campaign of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces against russia's "shadow fleet" — tankers, gas carriers, cargo ships, 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" — naval drone campaign of the Unmanned Systems Forces against russia's "shadow fleet": vessels circumventing sanctions and transporting oil, fuel, and other cargo that directly finance the war. The USF Commander publicly defends strikes as against legitimate military targets: the tactic is to hit primarily small courier supply tankers first, rather than large export ones immediately, because one large tanker is filled by 12–15 small vessels.
On July 6, 2026, the Unmanned Systems Forces jointly with the Ukrainian Navy launched the "MoLOChKa" maritime drone campaign in the Sea of Azov, 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 the Kerch refinery, a Nebo-U radar, and two S-400 systems were struck.
Sources: LB.ua
On July 15, 2026 (Ukrainian Statehood Day), the USF officially expanded Operation "MoLOChKa" to the Black Sea, striking 20 vessels (17 oil tankers, 2 gas tankers, 1 tug) in one day. Commander Brovdi: "The first round of the naval battle is complete. Now the Black Sea."
Kyiv Independent directly states: there is no independent verification of the report, no comment from the russian side has been provided. Kyiv Independent
Fuel blockade of the shadow fleet — one of three vectors of the broader campaign to isolate occupied Crimea (together with the energy blockade and logistical lockdown of the land corridor): see "Cutting Off Crimea"The shadow-fleet fuel blockade is one of three vectors of the broader campaign to isolate occupied Crimea (together with the energy blockade and logistical lockdown of the land corridor): see
. "MoLOChKa" is the official name and expansion of this maritime vector from 06.07.2026. "Crimean Switch Off" Campaign dynamics "Wild Berry" The USF cumulative tally grew daily—from the first two vessels on 06.07 to 206 as of 01.08.2026. Each point below is a separate USF commander statement, cross-verified by a dated media source. "AADfall" — systematic hunting of air defense (30 elements in July). The Commander's channel calls "Wild Berry" and "MoLoCHKa" "twins" — the maritime and land grindstones of a single 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 on 06.07 to 206 as of 01.08.2026. 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
Sources: LB.ua, 30.07 · Euromaidan Press, 29.07
28 vessels with individual names from the public USF strike database for July 2026 — "naval" type extract from strike map. Each entry — a separate statement with a link to primary source.
| Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds", 413th Regiment "Raid" | Water Area | Units | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-06 | Tanker "Kapitan Barmin" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Separate Brigade "Madyar's Birds", 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-06 | Tanker "Sanar-3" (shadow fleet, Primemax type) | Sea of Azov | 414th Separate Brigade "Madyar's Birds", 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Ferry "SKS One" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 413th Regiment "Raid" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Aleksey Savrasov" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Separate Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Climene" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Separate Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Ivan Cheremysinov" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Penelope" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Sanar-17" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Sanar-1" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Teti" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-07 | Tanker "Venera-3" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Dry cargo ship "Donstar" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Dry cargo ship "Evgenia Z" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Dry cargo ship "Feofan Shokhirev" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Dry cargo ship "Vladimir Yarygin" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Efrosynia V" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Mariya" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | Tanker "Sanar-4" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tugboat "Alfeo" with barge "Afrodyta" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Vessel "Merkuriy" (shadow fleet, type to be clarified) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Aura" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Chelsi-6" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Haliaskar Kamal" (shadow fleet, Panama flag) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar's Birds" | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-09 | Tanker "Ilya Repin" (shadow fleet) | Sea of Azov | 414th Brigade "Madyar'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↗ |
Besides named targets, USF published periodic summaries without breakdown by names— 18 such records for July 2026:
| Date | Description | Waters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-08 | RF shadow fleet vessels (21 units: 19 tankers, 1 dry cargo, 1 ferry) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-08 | RF shadow fleet vessels (9 tanker units overnight) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-10 | RF shadow fleet vessels (13 units: 10 tankers, 1 dry cargo, 1 ferry, 1 tugboat) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-10 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (48 units in 120 hours) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-11 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (28 units: 21 tankers, 4 tugboats, 2 dry cargo vessels, 1 special-purpose vessel) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-11 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (76 units in 6 days) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (14 units) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (14 units: 10 tankers, 4 ferries) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-12 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (90 units in a week) | Sea of Azov | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-13 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (15 units: 7 tankers, 5 dry cargo vessels, 1 ferry, 2 tugboats) | Sea of Azov | 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 vessels) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-22 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (13 units: 1 tanker, 10 dry cargo vessels, 2 tugboats) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
| 2026-07-28 | Russian shadow fleet vessels (201 units) | Black Sea | TG↗ |
As of 19.07.2026, the capacity of the Kerch ferry crossing was reduced by 75% — On 18 July 2026 the USF Commander stated that russia redeployed up to 200 crews of the "Rubicon" drone unit from the front line to protect the "shadow fleet" (one crew per vessel), as well as units of the 51st Air Defence Division and the Black Sea Fleet anti-aircraft missile regiment.: the headline of the original report directly names joint USF+SBU attribution. Among the damaged ferries — "Yeysk," "Lavrentiy," "Maria," "Panagia" (see table above).
Sources: WZ.lviv.ua · Censor.NET · Telegram @robert_magyar
On July 18, 2026, the USF Commander stated that Russia had redeployed up to 200 crews of the "Rubicon" drone unit from the front line to protect the "shadow fleet" (one crew per vessel), as well as units of the 51st Air Defense Division and an anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Black Sea Fleet.
Sources: Telegram @robert_magyar · Kyiv Independent
Russian Federation Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov characterized USF strikes on the shadow fleet as "terrorism." The direct quote from the Russian MFA in this study has not been verified directly—low-to-medium confidence, secondary source.
Context and caveats Wikipedia—Operation MoLoChKa (aggregation)
What is NOT included in the count of 206:
Sources: Related sections
The maritime campaign of July 2026 became one of the world's major military topics of the month—from major agencies and business media to specialized maritime publications and market reports. Below are publications from Reuters, Bloomberg, Financial Times, WSJ, Al Jazeera, maritime and defense industry press, as well as three specific market consequences in numbers. Episodes near the CPC terminal at Novorossiysk are described by the world press separately from the "MoLoChKa" count—this section records what the press writes, not its own tally.
The campaign expanded from Azov to the Black Sea: 17 oil tankers, 2 gas carriers, and a tug struck overnight, with quote from 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.
Russia halted passage through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal after strikes on 13 vessels in the Sea of Azov; grain futures rose.
Main story of the month: reportage from inside Madyar's Birds brigade—180+ vessels and maritime targets struck in three weeks, goal—to blockade supply to Crimea.
Trump administration, after Chevron 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 in intensity matched or exceeded 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 fuel crisis in the country.
USF Commander Robert Brovdi: 19 tankers, a cargo vessel, and a ferry struck 6-8 July; SBU reported strike on terminal in St. Petersburg.
Brovdi: 11 more vessels struck overnight, nine-day campaign total—116; Russia preparing export rerouting.
Operation "Molochka" suffocates occupied Crimea without fuel and electricity; Kerch ferries knocked out.
Strikes on CPC terminal at Novorossiysk force Kazakhstan to halt oil shipments, hitting 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 (~7,000 tons each) supplying fuel to Crimea in two days in the Sea of Azov.
Raid night of 7 July: 10 vessels (8 tankers, cargo vessel, ferry) struck by Kairos battalion of 414th Madyar's Birds brigade.
35 vessels struck in 96 hours, including Yasa Polaris (Chevron) and sanctioned Blue; Zelensky named goal—bring war's end closer with strikes on Russian oil-energy sector.
About 80 vessels struck in 6 days; 414th Madyar's Birds brigade reported 28 shadow fleet tankers in one night.
Three tankers (Asia/Chevron, Nissos Ios, Nelsa) struck during loading at CPC terminal in 24 hours; 22 sailors evacuated from Nelsa.
Zelensky 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 a week—to $253,728/day —amid 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 escalation of attacks by both sides.
Brent broke $100/barrel for first time since May; CPC terminal halted loading, Kazakhstan production (1.7 million bpd) under threat of reduction.
All figures on this page are officially declared results from USF Commander Robert Brovdi's channel, with a source reference beside each entry. Cross-publications by world media are collected in the "International Press" section below.
What is NOT included in the 206 count: individual sea-drone operations by the Security Service of Ukraine against shadow-fleet vessels — that is a different unit with its own claims, not attributed to USF; also episodes near the oil terminal near Novorossiysk, which the world press describes separately (see "International Press" section) — they are not consolidated into a single count with "MoLOChKa".
All publicly declared USF strikes on the map and in a filtered table, July 2026 onwards.
All naval strikes on the mapThree vectors of peninsula isolation: energy blockade, fuel blockade "MoLOChKa", logistical lockdown.
Open sectionMonthly overview of international publications and official reports about the USF Commander.
Open sectionOfficial scoreboard of verified USF strikes by month, by target categories.
Open section