Russia pivots grain logistics as Ukrainian drone campaign disrupts Sea of Azov exports
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture says domestic food supply remains secure despite Ukrainian attacks on 11 vessels in the Azov Sea, while Kyiv intensifies pressure on Russian energy infrastructure.
Russia has initiated a strategic shift in its agricultural export logistics, announcing plans to reroute grain shipments and utilise alternative transport modes following a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Sea of Azov. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Tuesday that the country is preparing to deploy alternative shipping routes and may redirect cargo to non-maritime transport options to maintain supply chain continuity.
Despite the disruption, the ministry asserted that the situation in the Azov Sea would not compromise the domestic market’s food supply or Russia’s broader export capabilities. This statement follows overnight strikes that Ukrainian military commander Robert Brovdi confirmed targeted 11 Russian vessels, including five tankers, five dry cargo ships, and a tugboat. These attacks bring the cumulative total of Russian vessels struck in the region over the past nine days to 116.
The maritime offensive is occurring concurrently with an escalation in long-range Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, which has contributed to a domestic fuel crisis in Russia. Ukrainian forces targeted oil refineries in the Krasnodar and Bashkortostan regions, with reports of a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery and further damage to a facility in Salavat, Bashkortostan, which had previously been hit in September 2025.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov strongly condemned the maritime attacks, describing them as acts of terrorism. Lavrov argued that the Ukrainian regime’s actions went beyond piracy, stating that the goal was not plunder but to cause damage and intimidate. He characterised the strategy as "pure and simple" terrorism, noting that the attacks benefited neither Ukraine nor any other party.
In response to the broader aerial campaign, Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported intercepting 288 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight. Russian authorities confirmed that falling debris from a drone attack injured one person and damaged houses in several villages. Meanwhile, Ukrainian military officials stated they had shot down seven missiles and 108 drones domestically.
The conflict has also seen reciprocal strikes on port infrastructure. Russian forces reportedly targeted port facilities in Ukraine’s Odesa region and fuel storage sites for Ukrainian forces in the port of Yuzhny. Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk confirmed that Russian forces struck a civilian vessel near Odesa, though he reported no casualties in that incident.
