Ukraine has launched a major overnight drone assault on Russian military and energy targets, striking fuel ships, an oil terminal and an ammunition depot in the latest attack on the Kremlin’s war supply network.
Kyiv’s forces targeted Russian vessels carrying fuel and lubricants for Moscow’s troops, as well as ships allegedly involved in helping Russia bypass international sanctions and keep oil revenues flowing into its war effort.
Ukraine’s General Staff said the strikes were aimed at weakening Russia’s “military and economic potential” as the war enters another critical phase.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but officials said the attacks hit key infrastructure used to support Russian operations.
One of the main targets was the Yug Rusi oil loading terminal in Bataysk, Rostov region, where a fire broke out following the strike.
The facility plays a major role in handling petroleum products for export and is also used to supply fuel to Russian forces operating in the south.
Ukraine said the terminal is part of Russia’s energy network that helps generate revenue for the Kremlin’s military campaign.
Ukrainian drones also struck two Russian tankers in Taganrog Bay, triggering fires onboard both vessels.
Crew members were evacuated, while one tanker continued to burn following the attack.
On the night of July 9, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck 14 vessels belonging to Russia's 'shadow fleet' in the Sea of Azov.
In total, 35 Russian tankers, cargo ships, and specialized vessels have been struck over the past 96 hours by the Unmanned Systems Forces!
Glory!… https://t.co/1JsM4h7oVH pic.twitter.com/pMbnytTiFj
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 9, 2026
Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of ships, which Western officials say Moscow uses to transport oil while avoiding sanctions.
The latest strikes follow a series of attacks on Russian energy facilities hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine’s border.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously confirmed strikes on oil depots in the Tver and Stavropol regions, as well as an oil pumping station in Ufa.
Some of the facilities targeted were located between 500 and 1,500 kilometres from Ukraine, highlighting Kyiv’s growing long-range drone capability.
Ukraine’s security services said the campaign against Russia’s oil industry is designed to hit one of the Kremlin’s most important sources of funding.
The SBU continues its systematic work to strike Russia’s oil sector — one of the key sources of financing for the war against Ukraine,” the agency said.
The attacks come as Ukraine intensifies efforts to disrupt the infrastructure that keeps Russia’s military machine running.
By targeting fuel supplies, storage sites, transport vessels and ammunition facilities, Kyiv is seeking to increase pressure on Moscow both on the battlefield and inside Russia itself.
The Kremlin has repeatedly attempted to downplay the impact of Ukrainian strikes, but the growing frequency and distance of attacks have exposed vulnerabilities in Russia’s vast energy network.
For Putin, the latest wave of drone attacks represents another challenge: protecting the fuel supplies and industrial backbone that power his war effort.
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