The operation by Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces targeting russia's shadow tanker fleet in the Sea of Azov can be considered a success, and the sea has been cleared of those vessels.
This is indicated by both satellite images and the report on the results of the attack on the night of July 13. According to the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, 15 vessels of the russian shadow fleet were attacked, including seven tankers, five bulk carriers, one ferry, and two tugboats.
Read more: russia Claimed Delivery of 34 Su-34 Bombers in 2024–2025, But Is That Figure Real?
The number of tankers hit last night was lower than in the first attack, on the night of July 7, during which eight tankers were hit. However, this was due to a lack of targets rather than a decline in effectiveness, as a total of 105 vessels were attacked over the course of eight days.
In particular, publicly available optical and radar satellite imagery from the European Space Agency, acquired on July 11 and 12, shows that, apart from Taganrog Bay, the waters of the Sea of Azov had been effectively cleared.
As of July 12, there were about 25 vessels in the southern part of the Sea of Azov, off the coast of the Taman Peninsula.
It should be noted that the bright streaks visible in the SAR imagery are the result of russian electronic warfare (EW) activity.
In contrast, on July 12, more than fifty vessels were concentrated in the Black Sea, on the opposite side of the Taman Peninsula, arranged in several groups 15–30 km off the coast.
They are also clearly visible in optical satellite imagery acquired on July 11.
At the same time, some of these vessels are most likely transshipping cargo, as they are moored side-by-side. Small vessels are also visible—possibly tugboats or patrol boats belonging to russian military units.
The other two groups of vessels, located slightly farther south, are likely waiting their turn to transfer cargo.
Read more: Ukraine's 81st Brigade Destroys 60 russian Vehicles, Disrupting Enemy Logistics
