Ukraine has seen the destruction of Russia’s Kerch Bridge as a major symbolic target since the war began, as can be seen by the two strikes landed against it over the last 9 months. But following Russia’s pullout of the Black Sea Grain Deal and the failure of their counteroffensive, Ukraine and their backers in Global NATO may be seeing this region as an opportunity to escalate against Russia.
In the early hours of Saturday August 5, a Russian oil tanker was hit by an unmanned naval drone, damaging it enough to require it to be pulled in by two tug boats. Vladimir Rogov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region where the tanker was rescued, wrote on Telegram, “such an attack is intended not only to force Russia to return to the shameful grain deal, but also to partially jeopardize the logistical capabilities of Russia’s armed forces in the Middle East.” It is likely the tanker was providing oil to Russian forces operating in Syria, according to the Guardian.
The day before, Friday August 4, a Russian military vessel was also struck and damaged by an unmanned naval drone while docked in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
