Russia has temporarily halted shipping through the Don-Azov channel, the waterway connecting the Don River to the Sea of Azov, after Ukrainian forces attacked 13 Russian vessels in the sea on July 10, according to Reuters industry sources cited by Investing.com.
The attack targeted 10 tankers among other vessels, according to Investing.com. Ukraine’s General Staff reported 18 vessels were hit, including at least 10 tankers, three bulk carriers, and an auxiliary vessel, with damage assessments ongoing.
Russia’s border guards notified shipping companies that all requests for passage through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, would not be accepted from 6:10 p.m. local time on July 10, according to RFE/RL reporting on Reuters sources. Authorities did not provide a timeframe for how long the suspension would remain in effect.
The shipping halt comes as Ukraine intensifies what it calls “long-range sanctions” against Russia, targeting the country’s energy infrastructure and the vessels supplying it. Ukraine’s General Staff said the ships were used to provide Russia’s military logistics and transport fuel, lubricants, military cargo, and other necessary items to wage war against Ukraine.
The suspension could affect nearly one quarter of Russian wheat exports that pass through the Sea of Azov, according to Investing.com’s reporting on grain export industry sources. The Azov Sea shipping channel serves as a route for grain exports and is a critical link in Russia’s commodity trade.
Ukraine has conducted multiple waves of drone strikes on Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov over recent days. Between July 6 and July 8, Ukraine’s drone forces struck 21 Russian-flagged vessels in 72 hours, according to Seatrade Maritime News. On July 9, Ukraine claimed to have hit 14 more vessels, including 12 tankers and one dry cargo ship, according to reports from multiple sources.
The vessels targeted are often part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”—oil tankers that operate outside Western sanctions frameworks to circumvent restrictions on Russian energy exports. By attacking these tankers and disrupting shipping routes, Ukraine aims to reduce Russia’s ability to sustain military logistics and fund its war effort through energy sales.
Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy assets extend beyond maritime targets. On July 10, Ukraine’s General Staff reported striking the Ilsky refinery in the Krasnodar region, one of Russia’s largest energy sites in southern Russia with a capacity of 6.6 million tons of oil per year. The General Staff said the plant produces gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products used for military logistics. Ukraine also reported hitting the Ust-Luga oil refining complex in the Leningrad region and an oil depot in the Rostov region.
Russian drivers have felt the impact of Ukraine’s energy campaign. According to RFE/RL, Russian drivers are paying over 15 percent more for 95-octane gasoline than they were a year ago, with prices increasing sharply since Ukraine began an intensified strike campaign against Russian oil refineries. Reuters cited industry sources and its own calculation to report that domestic gasoline output fell to around 65 percent of normal levels as a result of the strikes.
Sources
- Investing.com — Reported Russia’s temporary halt of Don-Azov channel shipping following Ukrainian attack on 13 Russian vessels on July 10, including 10 tankers, and the potential impact on one quarter of Russian wheat exports.
- RFE/RL — Reported Ukraine’s attacks on 18 Russian vessels, Russia’s border guard notification halting Kerch Strait passage requests at 6:10 p.m. July 10, strikes on the Ilsky refinery and other energy assets, and Russian fuel price increases of over 15 percent year-over-year.
- Seatrade Maritime News — Reported Ukraine’s drone forces striking 21 Russian-flagged vessels in the Sea of Azov within 72 hours between July 6-8, 2026.
