Ukraine has expanded its campaign targeting Russia-linked commercial shipping, sinking a FESCO-operated containership, striking a Greek-owned tanker, and hitting three oil refineries approximately 1,600 km inside Russian territory.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck the Russian-flagged Yanina overnight between July 31 and August 1. The 962 TEU vessel, built in 2005 and operated by FESCO, was hit by two uncrewed surface vessels roughly 130 nautical miles from Novorossiysk, Russia's largest commercial port on the Black Sea and a critical hub for grain, crude, and container exports. The Yanina subsequently sank, though all 17 crewmembers were rescued. Sixteen were recovered by the Turkish-flagged Delphinus, while the remaining seafarer was evacuated by Russian naval aviation.

FESCO, the Far Eastern Shipping Company, is one of Russia's oldest and largest shipping operators and is controlled by Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation. It remains subject to Western sanctions due to its ties to Moscow's war effort. Rosatom chief executive Alexey Likhachev condemned the attack as piracy, stating that the vessel had been transporting frozen food and construction materials. Zelenskyy maintained that Ukraine is targeting infrastructure supporting Russia's military campaign.

Separately, Ukraine released footage showing a sea-drone strike on the Bourda, a 105,600 dwt tanker built in 2006 and owned by Greece's IMS. Details regarding damage or potential casualties were not immediately available.

The maritime strikes were part of a broader overnight operation. Ukraine reported that its long-range drones attacked three refineries operated by Bashneft — Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim, Bashneft-Novoil, and Bashneft-UNPZ — located at Ufa in Bashkortostan, approximately 1,600 km from the Ukrainian border. The three facilities constitute one of Russia's largest refining clusters, with a combined annual capacity exceeding 23 million tonnes. According to Ukraine, the plants supplied aviation fuel, diesel, and lubricants to the Russian military. The strikes extend a monthslong Ukrainian drone campaign against Russian refining infrastructure that has periodically disrupted domestic fuel production and forced export adjustments.

Russia, for its part, has continued its assaults on Ukrainian maritime logistics. Moscow's defence ministry announced on Sunday that its forces had struck port infrastructure and two vessels allegedly carrying military cargo at Mykolaiv, along with another ship reportedly transporting military supplies in the Black Sea. Those claims have not been independently verified, and the vessels involved were not identified.

The exchanges underscore a growing pattern in which both sides increasingly view commercial vessels, ports, refineries, and export infrastructure as integral components of their adversary's wartime logistics network. The deepening strikes on maritime traffic add to sustained pressure on Black Sea shipping, where war-risk insurance premiums have risen sharply since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.