Escalation of maritime drone strikes and military port attacks in the Black and Azov Seas

Ukrainian drone units reported strikes on 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea and 15 in the Sea of Azov, including numerous oil and gas tankers, according to commander Robert Brovdi. Simultaneously, Russian forces targeted port infrastructure in Odesa and Chornomorsk using precision weapons and drones, claiming to have hit ships carrying military cargo. Regional authorities in Odesa reported that three civilian merchant vessels—flagged in Tanzania, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands—were struck, resulting in at least three fatalities and multiple injuries among crew members. Russia confirmed hitting bulk carriers near Odesa, asserting they were transporting military supplies. Navigation restrictions have been imposed in the Sea of Azov, affecting the Kerch Strait and the Azov-Don canal. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv to propose new initiatives aimed at integrating European and Ukrainian defense industries to accelerate production.