Sep 12, 2026
A Ukrainian drone struck the sanctioned Russian oil tanker Armada Leader near Sochi after maneuvering under fire from a Russian helicopter attempting to intercept it, as Ukraine continues a broader campaign targeting Russia-linked maritime traffic in the Black and Azov seas.
Footage released by Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi showed a Russian helicopter pursuing the drone and opening fire as it approached the vessel. The drone maneuvered to evade the fire before continuing toward the tanker and striking its target.
The strike was carried out as part of the Unmanned Systems Forces’ “MoLoChKa” operation, a campaign targeting vessels involved in Russian maritime transportation across the Black and Azov seas.
Brovdi said Ukrainian forces had struck 285 vessels during the first 10 weeks of the operation. The figure includes 215 vessels in July, 54 in August, and another 16 between September 1 and September 11.
The operation is aimed in part at disrupting maritime routes used for Russian oil exports and supplies to temporarily occupied Crimea, according to Brovdi.
He said Russian shadow-fleet tankers transporting oil toward the Bosphorus provide revenue that can be used to finance Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Earlier, on September 6, the Russian-flagged cargo ship Lady Mariia was reportedly struck 12 times by drones in the Mediterranean Sea while allegedly transporting Iranian weapons and armored vehicles to Russia. The sanctioned vessel had departed Algeria, though Ukraine’s involvement and details of the cargo were not independently confirmed.
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