Azernews.Az

Ukraine's Defense Forces said they carried out a large-scale overnight strike targeting 21 Russian oil tankers, along with four tugboats, two cargo vessels, and one dredger in the Sea of Azov, as part of efforts to weaken Russia's military and economic capabilities, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the operation was conducted during the night of July 11.

The General Staff said the targeted tankers had been used to transport crude oil and petroleum products in ways that circumvent international sanctions, generating revenue that supports Russia's military operations against Ukraine.

"The tankers are used to transport oil and petroleum products while bypassing international sanctions, providing financial resources for Russia's war effort against Ukraine," the statement said.

Ukrainian military officials also stated that the targeted tugboats, cargo ships, and dredger were being used to support Russia's military logistics, transport supplies, and maintain port infrastructure critical to sustaining military operations.

The statement did not provide additional details regarding the extent of the damage or whether the claims had been independently verified.