Units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck 12 Russian tankers, one tugboat, and one dry cargo ship in the waters of the Sea of Azov, as well as an oil loading terminal in the Rostov region.
According to Ukrinform, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Facebook.
“On the night of July 9, as part of efforts to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck several important military and military-economic targets of the enemy. Specifically, 12 tankers, one tugboat, and one dry cargo ship belonging to the Russian Federation were struck in the waters of the Sea of Azov,” the statement reads.
The extent of the damage and the results of the strikes are being assessed.
The struck vessels were used, in particular, to supply fuel and lubricants to Russian military formations and to transport oil and petroleum products in circumvention of international sanctions. They facilitate the export of energy resources, which is one of the main sources of funding for the war against Ukraine.
