Ukraine destroys 21 Russian vessels in 72 hours

Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck 21 Russian vessels over a 72-hour period ending on the morning of July 8, dealing a heavy blow to Russia's maritime logistics supplying occupied Crimea and coinciding with the NATO summit in Turkey.

Shadow Fleet Under Fire

The campaign culminated overnight on July 7-8 when Ukrainian long-range drones hit nine more tankers from Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" in the Sea of Azov, according to Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi. In total, Ukraine struck 19 shadow fleet tankers, one cargo ship, and one ferry in the Kerch area over three days.pravda+2

The strikes represent an escalation of Kyiv's pressure campaign against the sanctions-evading tanker fleet that delivers fuel to Crimea. Reuters reported that Ukrainian drones attacked a dozen tankers over two days earlier in the week as part of intensifying efforts to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula. Naval News estimated that at least 14 Russian tankers had been damaged or sunk since Ukraine began targeting the shadow fleet in late 2025, a figure now far exceeded by the latest wave.reuters+1

The attacks form part of a broader 40-day strategic operation authorized by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and led by the Security Service of Ukraine, which has also struck 50 energy facilities between July 1 and July 8 as part of a "Crimean Switch Off" campaign.united24media

War Moves to the Air

In an interview with the Financial Times published on July 6, Zelenskyy declared that the decisive phase of the war has shifted from land and sea to the air. "We have moved into the air domain. And in the air, we are already competitive," the president said, while noting that missile defense remains Ukraine's primary weakness.news.liga+3

Zelenskyy attended the NATO summit in Ankara this week to press allies for additional air defense systems, days after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv and other regions on July 2 that killed at least 10 people.youtube+1

Russia's Mounting Losses

The maritime strikes come amid what multiple outlets describe as Russia's deadliest month of the war. According to Al Jazeera, Russian forces suffered approximately 39,490 casualties in June alone. The Express reported that roughly 26,000 Russian personnel were killed during the month, with an additional 14,000 wounded.the-express+1

Russia's territorial gains have also slowed sharply. The Institute for the Study of War estimated Russia seized just 622 square kilometers in Ukraine during the first half of 2026, compared with 2,190 square kilometers in the same period of 2025.aljazeera