Ukraine is systematically severing the overland arteries that keep Russian forces in Crimea fed, fueled, and supplied. The campaign, built almost entirely around long-range attack drones, has reduced cargo traffic on a critical highway by more than two-thirds in a matter of weeks.
How the logistics lockdown works
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov formalized the initiative in late May 2026 with a dedicated funding package of $113 million. The money is being funneled into drone production and operations targeting every ground line of communication feeding into occupied Crimea.
Key targets include the R-280 Novorossiya highway, bridges, rail lines, and fuel convoys. Russian freight traffic on the Novorossiya highway has dropped by more than 66%, with one assessment pegging the decline at 71% as of mid-June 2026.
Fuel trucks have been a priority target. Gasoline shortages and rationing have been reported across Crimea as a direct consequence of the strikes. The situation compounds problems that began earlier, when Ukrainian attacks on the Kerch Bridge forced Russia to restrict fuel tanker crossings and reroute convoys onto less secure overland paths.
