Russia and Ukraine are engaged in intense battles in the Black Sea. Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian unmanned systems forces, stated on Wednesday (July 15) that Ukrainian forces have initiated a new phase of unmanned aerial operations in the Black Sea, sinking 20 Russian vessels. In retaliation, Russia launched attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, resulting in three fatalities.
Brovdi posted on Telegram that the operation codenamed “MoLoChKa” has shifted from the Azov Sea to the Black Sea. “The first round of naval battle has ended. Now it’s the turn of the Black Sea,” wrote Brovdi. He mentioned that Ukrainian drones struck 17 oil tankers, 2 liquefied gas transport ships, and 1 tugboat on the night of July 15.
Previously, Brovdi had been issuing detailed reports for several days about targeting Russian vessels in the Azov Sea, and this announcement marks the latest development in that series of reports.
Ukrainian authorities also reported that on Tuesday, a naval drone sank a Russian patrol boat stationed in the Black Sea resort town of Gelendzhik, which is adjacent to a luxury estate reportedly linked to Russian President Putin.
The Ukrainian Navy posted on social media that at least one Ukrainian domestically-produced “Sargan-3000” unmanned naval vessel hit a vessel named “Izumrud” (Emerald in Russian) causing casualties among some of the crew members.
According to the post, the “Izumrud” vessel is approximately 200 feet long, equipped with a helicopter landing pad, and operated by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) rather than regular military personnel.
The Ukrainian Navy stated that the “Izumrud” vessel was involved in an attack operation against Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait in November 2018. The Kerch Strait separates the Russian mainland from the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014.
Governor Oleh Kiper of Odesa Oblast stated that Russia has been carrying out “large-scale” drone and missile attacks in the southern region for five consecutive days, targeting civilian, industrial, and port infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities reported that a seven-story residential building in Odesa was hit by Russian missiles, resulting in three deaths and at least three injuries.
Recently, Russia has intensified attacks on the deep-sea ports in the Greater Odesa region of the Black Sea, which play a crucial role in Ukraine’s wartime economy as they handle a significant portion of Ukraine’s food and other cargo shipments. Meanwhile, Ukraine has expanded its operations aimed at disrupting Russian military logistical supplies in the occupied southern regions of Ukraine and isolating Russia on the Crimean Peninsula annexed in 2014.
Sources informed Reuters that Ukraine’s strikes have forced Russia, the world’s largest grain exporter, to restrict navigation in the Azov Sea, a route responsible for around a quarter of Russia’s food exports. They reported that the shipping restrictions imposed on Tuesday are still in effect.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on Wednesday that Russian forces continue to conduct nighttime strikes on Ukrainian ports, claiming these ports handle supplies used by Ukrainian military forces.