Ukraine reportedly struck 14 Russian vessels, including 12 oil tankers believed to be part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet,” in the Sea of Azov overnight into Thursday, July 9, according to Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF). “Fourteen vessels were hit in the Sea of Azov on the night of July 9 by USF Birds,” Brovdi wrote on Telegram.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. He added that Ukraine had struck 35 tankers, dry cargo ships and support vessels over the previous 96 hours, saying Russia’s “shadow fleet” was “thinning.” According to Brovdi, the latest strikes targeted 12 tankers, one dry cargo ship and one tugboat. The vessels he identified under the Russian flag were: tanker Chelsea-6 tanker Auratanker Sonar-1 tanker Ilya Repin Mercury (vessel type to be confirmed) tugboat Alfeo with the barge Aphrodite tanker Venus-3tanker Penelope He also said the sanctioned tanker Galiaskar Kamal, sailing under the Panamanian flag, was hit. The identities of five additional vessels are still being verified. “All identified tankers are part of the shadow fleet and are under international sanctions,” Brovdi wrote. The General Staff also confirmed the destruction of 12 tankers, a tugboat and a dry cargo ship. “The extent of the damage and the results of the strikes are still being assessed,” the statement said. According to the General Staff, the vessels were used to supply fuel and lubricants to Russian military units and to transport oil and petroleum products in circumvention of international sanctions.