Putin Is Losing Control Of The Black Sea Gateway
4- 20.07.2026, 8:47
- 3,626
Ukraine is trying to make it impossible to defend the Crimean Peninsula.
Putin is losing control of the Black Sea gateways after Ukraine launched a series of devastating strikes against Russian ships in this strategically important waterway, marking a dramatic turning point in the situation, writes The IPaper.
The publication reported that Kyiv is using drones to strike Russian tankers sailing through the Sea of Azov—a key inland sea in southern Ukraine that connects the Black Sea, Eastern Europe, and the rest of the world.
According to Reuters, Russia was forced to suspend shipping through the “Don-Azov” canal, which connects the Caspian Sea to the Azov and Black Seas via a network of rivers.
“Ukraine claims that Russia can no longer use the Kerch Strait, which separates occupied Crimea from Russia,” the article states.
The publication noted that these events prompted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to issue an angry statement this week, in which he called these attacks “acts of terrorism,” “going even beyond the scope of piracy,” while acknowledging that they “cause damage and sow fear.”
The article notes that since the start of the operation, which Ukraine launched on July 6, the number of drone attacks on Russian ships in the Sea of Azov has risen sharply.
The commander of the Unmanned Systems Force Robert Brovdy (“Madyar”) stated on Wednesday, July 15, that since the start of the operation, Kyiv has struck 159 vessels, including 117 in the Sea of Azov and 42 in the Black Sea.
“These strikes have been extremely successful. Over the past few weeks, Ukraine has struck more than 100 vessels in a maritime corridor running deep behind Russian defense lines,” said William Freer , a national security research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy in London .
He added that very few ships are currently willing to pass through this dangerous zone. For example, the number of ships passing through the Sea of Azov is less than half of what it was previously.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that the tankers are being used to transport oil and petroleum products “in circumvention of international sanctions, providing the means to finance armed aggression against Ukraine.”
Brovdi noted that Russia’s “shadow fleet” is “falling into disrepair” due to “incurable logistical paralysis.”
The publication noted that these strikes mark a major turning point in the war.
“For many years, the Sea of Azov remained out of reach of Ukrainian drones, which allowed Russia to use Crimea as a springboard for attacks on the south of the country and to export fuel that kept its war machine running,” the article states.
Now, advances in Ukrainian drone technology have opened up new possibilities.
“Ukraine is trying to make the defense of the Crimean Peninsula impossible,” said Jacob Parakilas , director of defense, security, and justice research at Rand Europe .
It is explained that these attacks are a continuation of Ukraine’s ongoing campaign using medium-range drones aimed at blocking Crimea.
“The campaign targets the rail and road logistics networks connecting Russia with the Russian-occupied territory of mainland Ukraine and Crimea, as well as oil refineries, ports, and factories, leading to widespread energy shortages.”
The publication adds that this has led to long lines at gas stations in Crimea, where residents report shortages not only of gasoline but also of food and water. Added to this are power outages and disruptions in communications.
Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that drone operations in the Sea of Azov have paralyzed Russian fuel shipments and hampered the delivery of Russian resources to occupied Crimea.
According to the Russian newspaper *Kommersant*, some Russian insurance companies will no longer provide war risk insurance to vessels in this region.
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