Ukraine says its drone forces struck 12 Russian fuel tankers in two days as part of a campaign to disrupt fuel supplies to occupied Crimea, alongside other military infrastructure.

Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) say their drone operators struck 12 Russian fuel tankers carrying gasoline to occupied Crimea over two nights, in what appears to be one of Ukraine's largest claimed attacks on Russian maritime fuel logistics since the start of the full-scale war.

Crimea has become a growing focus of Ukraine's long-range drone campaign, which aims to degrade the fuel, air defense, transport, and energy infrastructure Russia relies on to sustain military operations from the occupied peninsula.

In a series of statements on 6-7 July, SBS commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi said Ukrainian drone units targeted tankers transporting fuel across the Azov Sea from Russia's Taganrog to occupied Crimea.

Twelve fuel tankers targeted

According to Brovdi, Ukrainian forces first struck two “shadow fleet” fuel tankers carrying around 7,000 tonnes of gasoline each on 6 July in a joint operation with the Ukrainian Navy.

A day later, SBS units expanded the operation, damaging eight more sanctioned Russian fuel tankers, along with a cargo ship and a ferry operating in the Azov Sea.

Brovdi described the attacks as part of the "battle for gasoline for Crimea," saying the vessels were supplying fuel to the occupied peninsula.

In a later update, he said Ukrainian drones had struck two additional tankers after the initial report, bringing the total to 10 tankers hit during 7 July and 12 vessels overall.

Campaign aims to isolate occupied Crimea

Ukraine has stepped up long-range strikes on occupied Crimea in recent months, targeting the fuel, transport, air defense, and energy infrastructure that sustains Russian military operations on the peninsula and beyond into southern Ukraine. The campaign has increasingly focused on disrupting logistics rather than destroying frontline positions.

Repeated attacks on oil depots, fuel shipments, electrical substations, and gas infrastructure have contributed to localized fuel shortages and rolling power outages across parts of occupied Crimea. Ukrainian officials say the objective is to complicate Russia's ability to supply troops, operate military facilities, and launch attacks from the peninsula while increasing the cost of maintaining the occupation.

Air defenses and fuel infrastructure also hit

Alongside the maritime attacks, Brovdi said SBS units struck 47 military targets on 6 July and 58 more on 7 July.

He claimed Ukrainian forces destroyed two Russian S-400 Triumf launchers – one in occupied Crimea and another in Russia's Bryansk Oblast – along with a Nebo-U surveillance radar near Kerch and a fuel depot in the city.

Ukraine's military separately confirmed the destruction of the S-400 launcher in Bryansk Oblast, saying it had been used to launch ballistic missiles toward Kyiv.

Energy campaign continues

Brovdi also said SBS units struck five electrical substations and a gas compressor station across occupied Crimea on 7 July.

According to the commander, Ukrainian drones have hit 44 energy facilities in occupied Crimea and southern occupied Ukraine since 1 July as part of an ongoing campaign against infrastructure supporting Russian military operations.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted fuel depots, air defense systems, ports, railway infrastructure, and power facilities used by Russian forces behind the front line. The reported strikes on fuel tankers would mark one of the most significant claimed attacks on maritime fuel deliveries supporting Russia's occupation of Crimea.