Ukraine uses drones to hunt Russian ships in Black Sea

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION IN SOUTHERN UKRAINE — In a field in southern Ukraine, soldiers painted sardonic messages on a sleek gray attack drone that would soon be sent to hunt Russian ships in the Black Sea, part of Ukraine’s expanding campaign to isolate Crimea and weaken Moscow’s war effort.

Operating far behind the front line on Ukraine’s vast steppe, drone units have struck more than 180 vessels and other sea-based targets around the peninsula over the past three weeks, opening a new front in the war.

The attacks, which began in the Sea of Azov before expanding into the Black Sea, are aimed at increasing the cost for Russia of occupying Crimea and shifting momentum toward Kyiv in the fifth year of the full-scale war.

“We work day and night, every day, without time off,” said battalion commander “Ray” of Magyar’s Birds, a brigade playing a key role in the campaign. In accordance with Ukrainian military practice, he identified himself only by his call sign.

During a recent visit by Reuters, his team launched drones every few minutes. The unit said it had struck a cargo vessel and floating crane in the Black Sea, as well as a power substation in southern Crimea. Reuters could not independently verify the claims.

The attacks are part of an escalating battle over strategic waters, with Russia also increasing strikes on Ukrainian ports and international cargo vessels.

Ukraine’s agriculture minister said Thursday that shipowners had temporarily suspended vessel arrivals at Ukrainian Black Sea ports used for agricultural exports following the surge in attacks.

Battle Over Crimea

Crimea, a key transit and military hub for Russian forces, has become a major focus of Ukraine’s drone operations as Kyiv expands its strike capabilities.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have targeted road and rail links across occupied southern Ukraine that connect Crimea to Russia, which seized and annexed the peninsula in 2014 before launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.

The attacks have contributed to fuel shortages and a state of emergency in Crimea, while power and gas facilities have also been repeatedly targeted.

The latest strikes against oil tankers, dry cargo ships and other vessels represent an expansion of Ukraine’s effort to pressure Russian forces by disrupting supply routes.

Since the campaign began in July, drone forces led by commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi have reported hitting around six vessels per day, with Brovdi detailing operations through mocking reports featuring emojis.

The strikes have disrupted Russian shipping through the Sea of Azov, which connects Russia’s southern grain-producing regions to maritime routes through the Don River.

Brovdi’s forces said the Kerch ferry crossing between eastern Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region had lost about 75% of its capacity. Reuters could not independently verify the claim.

The commander said the attacks were intended to challenge Russia’s control of the region and establish dominance over Ukraine’s territorial waters.

The campaign, called “Molochko,” is a play on the word “milk” and the phrase “Moscow will collapse because of Crimea.”

Sidharth Kaushal, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, said Ukrainian attacks on Russian land-based logistics had increased shipping activity through the Sea of Azov, creating more maritime targets.

He described the strikes as “a logical continuation” of Ukraine’s broader campaign focused on Crimea.

Russian Attacks on Ports and Vessels

Ukraine’s drone strikes have been met with intensified Russian attacks on southern Ukraine, particularly the port city of Odesa and other facilities that transport Ukrainian grain to global markets through a maritime corridor.

On Sunday, 10 sailors were killed after Russian forces struck a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel carrying corn from Odesa, Ukrainian officials said.

At least three people were also killed last week in attacks on Odesa and Mykolaiv, another major port city.

Ukraine’s seaports authority said Russia struck Ukrainian ports 23 times and civilian vessels 17 times during the first two weeks of July, creating logistical challenges for traders.

Agricultural exports, including grain and vegetable oils, remain among Ukraine’s largest sources of foreign currency, with more than 90% shipped from ports in the Odesa region through the maritime corridor.

Russia has said its attacks are targeting infrastructure used to store military supplies and fuel.

Hunted by Russian Forces

The Ukrainian-made FP-1 and FP-2 drones used by Ray’s battalion have become a key part of Kyiv’s expanding drone arsenal. The aircraft fly automatically toward operational areas before pilots, often positioned far away, take control for the final strike.

Minutes after launching their latest propeller-powered drone with a small jet booster, the team packed up and prepared to move. Launch sites are not reused, and units are often relocated to new positions within hours.

Although advances in technology allow Ukrainian forces to operate more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) behind front lines, drone teams remain high-value targets for Russian forces.

“This is a constant war — a continuous struggle of measures and countermeasures,” said Ray, commander of the brigade’s ninth battalion, known as Kairos.

Panama, a squadron commander, said he and his fellow soldiers were motivated by the visible results of their operations.

Beyond disrupting Russian logistics, the campaign has also boosted Ukrainian morale.

“It’s great that our tempo is so high,” he said, “but we still need to sustain it.”

-Additional reporting and writing by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Timothy Heritage/Reuters