Russia and Ukraine Attack Each Other's Ships, Global Wheat Prices Surge

The war between Russia and Ukraine has expanded from the battlefield to strategic shipping lanes in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Oil tankers, cargo ships, tugboats, military vessels, and port infrastructure have become targets in reciprocal attacks. The escalation not only threatens maritime security but also disrupts two of the world’s primary grain export routes. Commodity markets reacted immediately with a sharp increase in wheat prices in Europe and the United States.

Ukraine’s military claimed on Thursday, 16 July 2026, to have struck at least 11 Russian ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Almost simultaneously, the Russian Defence Ministry stated its forces had hit a maritime vessel and a fast boat belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces that were moving towards a port in the Odesa region. Reuters reported it could not independently verify the attack claims made by either side.

Robert Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said the latest targets included five oil tankers in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, one gas tanker, three dry cargo ships, and two tugboats in the Black Sea. According to Brovdi, the number of Russian ships attacked by Ukrainian forces throughout July 2026 has reached 147 units. This figure is a Ukrainian military claim and has not been independently verified.

Russia, for its part, stated its attacks were directed at facilities it claims support Ukraine’s military capability. Moscow asserted it struck industrial and military facilities in Kyiv related to the production and storage of medium- and long-range drones. Infrastructure at the ports of Odesa and Pivdennyi was also targeted, with the Russian government claiming these facilities were used to sustain Ukrainian military operations.

The fighting in the region demonstrates that the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov are no longer merely trade routes. Both bodies of water have transformed into a theatre of logistical and economic warfare. Ukraine seeks to cripple Russian tankers, energy routes, and transport networks to reduce Moscow’s revenues and its ability to finance the war. Russia retaliates by bombarding Ukrainian ports and export facilities, which are a primary source of foreign exchange for the country.