Russia is preparing to deploy anti-aircraft soldiers aboard its sanctions-busting shadow fleet after Ukraine’s unmanned forces struck 159 vessels in the Black and Azov Seas over the past ten days, according to pro-Ukraine partisans operating inside Russia.
The agents, from a group known as Atesh, said the Kremlin plans to place up to three servicemen on each tanker, equipped with twin machine guns, portable air-defence systems (MANPADS) and anti-drone weapons. The personnel would be drawn from the Rubicon UAV Center, the 51st Air Defence Division and the 1096th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment.
“Russia to put anti-air troops on shadow fleet after Ukraine strikes 159 ships in 10 days.”
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) have been hammering Russia’s energy logistics. Between July 6 and July 16 they struck 147 ships, and another six were hit last night, according to the British defence secretary. On Thursday night alone, USF commander Robert Brovdi announced on Telegram that 12 vessels were hit. In total, 117 ships were destroyed in the Azov Sea and 42 in the Black Sea.
“The goal is incurable paralysis of oil, fuel, cargo logistics in circumvention of sanctions,” Brovdi wrote.
The escalation also follows an armed British Royal Marine seizure of the Russian shadow vessel Smyrtos in the English Channel last month. Troops aboard the sanctions-buster boats could make future boardings by elite forces more hazardous.
Atesh issued a statement saying: “The reason for the command’s panic is obvious. In just 10 days, Ukraine’s Defence Forces imposed ‘physical sanctions’ on more than 136 Russian tankers operating illegally in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone.”
The attacks have removed hundreds of millions of pounds of revenue from Kremlin coffers and severely battered Vladimir Putin’s ability to pay for his war. Dozens of oil and gas installations throughout Russia have also been hit in deep-strike missile attacks up to 1,000 miles across the border.
But Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is also under internal pressure. He sacked popular defence minister Mykhailo Federov, sparking protests in Kyiv and other cities. Protesters brandished placards screaming “hands off Federov” and “stop sabotaging victory.” Federov, 35, appointed only in January, had been credited with energising the ministry, leading an anti-corruption drive and using data to improve front-line performance. It is widely believed that Zelensky feared Federov had fallen out with one of his key aides.
With Ukraine turning the tables on Russian logistics and Russia scrambling to protect its dwindling shadow fleet, the battle for the Black Sea is entering a perilous new phase.
