# Ukraine drones hit 90 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov over six days; Russia suspends civilian shipping through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal > Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck 90 Russian vessels, including oil tankers, ferries and tugboats, in the Sea of Azov between July 6 and July 12, prompting Russia to temporarily suspend commercial navigation through the Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal; wheat prices rose after the campaign disrupted a shipping corridor that carries about a quarter of Russia's grain exports; Russia's Rostov regional governor confirmed a tanker was struck entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal on July 12 **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-07-11 · heads: 전쟁은 실제로 어떻게 끝나는가, 누구의 돈인가 · 13 takes · 10 lenses · 4 regions ## Summary [Ukraine](/ko/entity/ukraine)'s Unmanned Systems Forces struck 90 Russian vessels in the [Sea of Azov](/ko/entity/sea-of-azov) between July 6 and July 12, including oil tankers, ferries and tugboats used to support Russian military logistics and energy exports. Russia responded by temporarily suspending commercial navigation through the Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal, cutting off a shipping corridor that carries roughly a quarter of Russia's wheat exports. Global wheat prices rose following the closure. In Taganrog Bay overnight on July 10-11, Russian authorities confirmed four vessels were struck, including a methanol tanker; one sailor was killed, per Rostov Region Governor Yuri Slyusar. Rostov governor Yury Slyusar also confirmed on July 12 that a tanker was struck entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal. The operation extends an earlier campaign in which [Ukraine struck 35 shadow-fleet vessels in 96 hours through July 9](/ko/n/ukraine-shadow-fleet-azov-jul9). The cumulative toll of 90 ships represents a substantial portion of the tanker and ferry capacity Russia uses to move fuel, grain and personnel across the Azov, and the closure of both the Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal sharpens the disruption to Russian logistics. ## The split Ukrainian sources (Kyiv Independent, United24 Media, Kyiv Post) led with the 90-vessel count and Russia's shutdown of two key waterways, framing the campaign as strategic economic warfare. Russian officials confirmed only four vessels struck in Taganrog Bay and one sailor killed, far below Ukrainian figures. Al Jazeera embedded the Azov campaign within a broader overnight exchange in which Russia simultaneously hit Ukrainian cities, framing it as mutual escalation rather than a Ukrainian strategic success. The gap between Ukraine's claimed 90 vessels and Russia's confirmed four remains unresolved. ## By the numbers - 90, Russian vessels Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces claims were struck in the Sea of Azov between July 6 and July 12. - 73, confirmed drone hits Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces recorded in a single overnight operation on July 10-11. - 4, vessels Russia officially confirmed struck in Taganrog Bay; 1 sailor killed. - 2, waterways Russia halted: the Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal. - 25%, approximate share of Russia's wheat exports that move through the disrupted Azov corridor. ## Why it matters The Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal are [Russia](/ko/entity/russia)'s main maritime supply lines for Crimea and the occupied eastern Ukrainian coast. Suspending civilian navigation disrupts Russian commercial and agricultural exports at a time when Russia's domestic fuel and food logistics are already under pressure from the war. Ukraine is using long-range drones to achieve what blockades historically required a navy: denying an adversary the use of its own internal shipping lanes. The simultaneous spike in global wheat prices signals the campaign's reach beyond the war zone. ## What to watch - Whether Russia makes the Kerch Strait closure permanent or restores commercial traffic once the drone threat recedes - The effect on Russian grain export revenues and domestic wheat prices if the disruption extends beyond days - Whether Ukraine expands the campaign further into the Black Sea shipping lanes - Any Russian military response aimed at Ukraine's drone launch and logistics infrastructure ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### English-language Ukrainian newsroom; leads with Ukraine's army confirmation that Russia halted shipping through the Don-Azov Canal, and gives the breakdown of vessel types struck - **Kyiv Independent** (Ukraine, en) — The Kyiv Independent, citing Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces commander Vadym Brovdi, reports 73 successful drone strikes in a single overnight operation targeting 21 tankers, four tugboats, two dry cargo vessels and one specialised vessel. The outlet notes Moscow has reportedly halted shipping through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal, placing this as the immediate operational consequence of the attacks. > "Ukrainian drones hit 21 tankers, four tugboats, two dry cargo vessels, and one specialized vessel, recording 73 successful strikes during the overnight operation." Source: https://kyivindependent.com/russia-halts-shipping-through-don-azov-canal-after-ukrainian-strike-on-vessels-reuters-reports/ ### Kyiv-based English daily; first to report the Kerch Strait suspension and the knock-on effect on wheat prices, framing the attack as economic warfare - **Kyiv Post** (Ukraine, en) — The Kyiv Post reports Russia has temporarily suspended commercial navigation through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal following Ukrainian drone strikes, and notes wheat prices jumped as a result. The outlet frames the campaign as targeting Russia's energy and grain export infrastructure. > "Moscow has temporarily suspended commercial navigation through the Kerch Strait and Don-Azov Canal." Source: https://www.kyivpost.com/post/80062 ### US defence news outlet; focuses on the scale and operational reach of Ukraine's long-range drone attacks in the Azov, noting they target Russian oil tankers to worsen Russia's war-induced energy difficulties - **The War Zone (TWZ)** (United States, en) — The War Zone reports Ukraine's drone campaign in the Sea of Azov is specifically targeting Russian oil tankers, adding to what the outlet describes as Russia's 'burgeoning war-induced energy woes.' The analysis underscores the strategic logic: disrupting domestic fuel distribution to degrade Russian military logistics and industrial capacity. > "The long-range drone attacks are targeting Russian oil tankers, adding to that nation's burgeoning war-induced energy woes." Source: https://www.twz.com/news-features/ukraine-claims-scores-of-russian-ships-struck-in-sea-of-azov ### Russian-language outlet in exile; provides Russia's official confirmation through Rostov governor Yury Slyusar that a tanker was struck on July 12 entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal, a rare public acknowledgement by a Russian official - **The Moscow Times** (Russia, en) — The Moscow Times reports Rostov region governor Yury Slyusar publicly confirmed Ukraine struck a tanker entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal on July 12, one of the few on-the-record Russian official acknowledgements of damage during the campaign. The outlet provides the Russian domestic perspective on the economic and logistical disruption. > "A Ukrainian drone struck a tanker as it was entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal, Yury Slyusar, governor of Russia's Rostov region, said on Sunday." Source: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/12/russia-says-ukraine-struck-tanker-in-sea-of-azov-a93227 ### Updated count: 90 vessels struck between July 6-12 per the Unmanned Systems Forces commander, confirming the cumulative scale of the campaign - **Kyiv Post** (Ukraine, en) — The Kyiv Post provides the final tally from Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces commander: 90 Russian vessels struck in the Sea of Azov between July 6 and July 12, including tankers, ferries and other commercial craft used to support Russian logistics. > "The commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces reported that his units struck 90 Russian vessels, including tankers and ferries, in the Sea of Azov between July 6 and July 12." Source: https://www.kyivpost.com/post/80108 ### US agricultural commodity publication; contextualises the Sea of Azov campaign in terms of global grain markets, noting the targeted corridor carries approximately a quarter of Russia's wheat exports - **Ag Bull Trading** (United States, en) — Ag Bull Trading, writing for commodity market participants, reports that Ukraine's drone campaign in the Sea of Azov is targeting a shipping corridor that carries roughly a quarter of Russia's wheat exports. The outlet frames the disruption as a direct pressure point on Russian agricultural revenues and domestic food logistics. > "Ukraine's drone war reaches Sea of Azov, choking a corridor that carries a quarter of Russia's wheat." Source: https://www.agbull.com/ukraines-drone-war-reaches-sea-of-azov-choking-a-corridor-that-carries-a-quarter-of-russias-wheat/ ### independent Moscow-based English-language outlet; confirms one sailor killed in Taganrog Bay drone strike on four vessels, a Russian official confirmation of casualties rarely acknowledged publicly - **The Moscow Times** (Russia, en) — The Moscow Times, citing Russian authorities and Rostov Region Governor Yuri Slyusar, confirms one sailor was killed as a result of drone strikes on four vessels, including a methanol tanker, in Taganrog Bay. The outlet notes Russian authorities said there was no methanol leak risk. This is an official Russian confirmation of casualties from the campaign. > "One person was killed as a result of a drone attack on four vessels, including a tanker carrying methanol, in Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov, Russian authorities said." Source: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/11/one-killed-in-drone-strike-on-vessels-in-taganrog-bay-russian-authorities-say-a93224 ### Ukrainian state-linked digital; first to report Russia's halt of Kerch Strait shipping and Don-Azov Canal navigation following drone strikes on 13+ oil tankers - **United24 Media** (Ukraine, en) — United24 Media was the first outlet to confirm Russia halted commercial navigation through the Kerch Strait following Ukrainian drone strikes on 13+ vessels including oil tankers, with the Don-Azov Canal also suspended. > "Russia halts Kerch Strait shipping after Ukrainian drone attacks on 13 vessels, including oil tankers. Navigation on Don-Azov Canal also suspended." Source: https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russia-halts-shipping-through-kerch-strait-after-ukrainian-drone-strikes-on-vessels-20677 ### pan-Arab broadcaster; frames the Azov Sea drone campaign within a broader bilateral exchange, noting Russia also hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones the same night - **Al Jazeera** (Qatar, en) — Al Jazeera reports Russian missile and drone barrages killed eight and wounded dozens across Ukraine in parallel with the Azov Sea drone campaign, framing the exchange as one of the war's deadliest recent nights and connecting the Azov operation to the wider bilateral pattern of simultaneous strikes. > "In the latest salvo in one of the war's deadliest months, Russia hits Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones." Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/11/russian-missile-attacks-wound-11-in-kyiv ### unlabelled - **RedState** (United States, en) — Source: https://redstate.com/streiff/2026/07/11/russia-closes-key-maritime-routes-to-civilian-traffic-due-to-ukrainian-drone-offensive-hitting-78-ships-n2204229 - **Hot Air** (United States, en) — Source: https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2026/07/11/russia-closes-the-kerch-strait-after-76-ships-hit-with-drones-n3816862 - **Daily Kos** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/7/11/800068269/community/russian-stuff-blowing-up/ - **Bloomberg** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-12/ukraine-says-it-hit-russia-s-syzran-refinery-azov-sea-tankers ## Across the graph - Related: [[ukraine-shadow-fleet-azov-jul9]], [[ukraine-russia-war-dossier]], [[ukraine-russia-strikes-jul12]], [[iran-irgc-hormuz-closure-jul12]] - Entities: Ukraine, Russia --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/ko/n/ukraine-azov-kerch-drone-blockade-jul11