Ukraine's Drones Push Russia Out of the Sea of Azov

Ukrainian attack drones forced Russia to halt all shipping in the Sea of Azov for a week in July 2026. On July 12 alone, drones hit 14 vessels—ten tankers and four ferries carrying fuel. That brought the year's total to 91 ships struck. Ukraine's campaign has turned what Russia once saw as a safe rear area into a battlefield, much like its earlier attacks on Crimean ferries and Black Sea routes.