Ukraine’s SBU Strikes 159 Vessels in Russia’s Shadow Fleet: Inside Operation ‘MoLoChKa’.

Ukrainian Forces Score Major Naval Victories

According to Espreso.tv: Robert Brovdi, commander of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), has announced significant successes in targeting Russian vessels at sea. Code-named 'MoLoChKa,' the operation ran from July 6 to July 17, resulting in the destruction of 159 ships belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet. Of these, 117 were hit in the Sea of Azov and 42 in the Black Sea. For context, Russia’s shadow fleet consists of aging or poorly maintained tankers and cargo ships used to evade international sanctions on oil and fuel exports.

Operation Details

On July 15, Ukrainian forces struck 20 shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea. The following day, additional strikes hit:

• 9 dry cargo ships
• 1 tanker
• 1 LNG tanker
• 1 tugboat

'The goal: to inflict incurable paralysis on the logistics of oil, fuel, and cargo moving in circumvention of sanctions. Every self-propelled vessel is to be turned into a drifting, blind and deaf barge at sea; the aim is not to foul the waters with oil slicks, so no hull breaches.' Robert Brovdi

The successful execution of Operation 'MoLoChKa' underscores the intensification of Ukrainian efforts to counter Russian aggression in maritime zones, a development that could significantly reshape both military and economic dynamics in the region. By destroying ships used to bypass sanctions, Ukraine aims to cripple Russia’s underwater logistics network, especially for oil and fuel supplies. This could create new hurdles for Russian military operations and limit their ability to project power at sea.