Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its armed forces carried out overnight strikes on three dry cargo vessels, alleging that the ships were transporting military supplies intended for Ukraine's armed forces.

The ministry said the vessels were targeted during drone operations as part of Russia's ongoing campaign against maritime assets that Moscow claims are being used to support Kyiv's military operations.

Russian officials did not immediately provide details on the location of the strikes or the extent of the damage to the vessels. The claims could not be independently verified.

The announcement comes amid an intensifying maritime dimension of the conflict, with both Russia and Ukraine increasingly targeting shipping, port facilities and naval infrastructure in and around the Black Sea.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces carried out dozens of strikes against commercial vessels and port infrastructure during July, marking a sharp increase compared with the relatively low number of such attacks reported throughout most of 2025.

The escalation has significantly disrupted maritime trade through Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Industry reports indicate that the majority of international commercial shipping operators have suspended voyages to Ukrainian ports due to growing security risks, dealing a major blow to the country's export sector, which generates tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue.

At the same time, Ukraine has continued its own campaign targeting what it describes as Russia's "shadow fleet"—a network of tankers and cargo ships that Kyiv and Western governments allege is used to facilitate Russian oil exports despite international sanctions.

According to Ukrainian authorities, drone strikes have damaged more than one hundred vessels believed to be linked to the fleet since the campaign began. The attacks have primarily targeted ships' bridges, engine compartments and other critical systems in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The sustained pressure has also affected Russian maritime operations. Reports indicate that Russia has temporarily suspended nighttime vessel traffic at its major Black Sea export terminal in Novorossiysk and, at times, halted maritime transit through the strategically important Kerch Strait due to security concerns.

The latest developments underscore the growing importance of the Black Sea as a critical front in the conflict, where both sides are increasingly seeking to disrupt each other's logistics, military supply chains and economic activity through attacks on maritime infrastructure and commercial shipping.

As hostilities continue, analysts warn that the escalating confrontation at sea could further threaten regional trade, global grain exports and the security of commercial navigation across the Black Sea. (ILKHA)