Russia closes Kerch Strait and Azov Canal after Ukrainian drone blitz

On July 10, Ukrainian drone units struck 13 vessels in the Sea of Azov. Ten of them were tankers. The others were a dry cargo ship, a ferry, and a tug.

The next night, four more vessels were hit in the Gulf of Taganrog. Russia confirmed the strikes and said one sailor was killed. A methanol tanker was among those struck on July 11.

Russia's response was to close the Kerch Strait to commercial shipping. It also suspended traffic on the Azov-Don Canal, the link between the Don River and the Sea of Azov. Both are transit routes used by Russian and Ukrainian commercial vessels. The Kurgannefteprodukt oil terminal on the Taganrog Bay waterfront was also struck.

Euromaidan Press reported that 48 Russian vessels were hit over the full five-day campaign, which ran from July 6 to July 11. Bloomberg confirmed the overnight July 11 strikes and Russia's acknowledgment of the closures. Kyiv Post confirmed Russia had halted Azov Sea shipping.