Russian Ships Ferrying Weapons To Crimea Destroyed In Kerch Strait

Ukrainian drones extended their threat to Russian military operations by sinking one ship and damaging another which were attempting to transport weapons for Russian units in Crimea. 

The objective of these Ukrainian attacks is to demonstrate how insecure Russia's invasion operations have become, which also reveals the parlous state of its overall military posture. JL

Tim Zadorozhnyy reports in the Kyiv Independent:

Ukraine "successfully" struck two Russian vessels transporting weapons and military equipment through the Kerch Strait. Both ships served as as a "key part" of Russia's Kerch ferry service, used to supply ammunition and equipment to Russian forces fighting against Ukraine. The Russian railway ferry 'Slavianin' was put out of action, and the vessel 'Avangard' was damaged. The Kerch Strait — a 35-kilometer (21-mile) waterway linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov — separates the Kerch Peninsula in Russian-occupied Crimea from Russia's Taman Peninsula and serves as a key logistics corridor for Moscow.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on March 14 that it had "successfully" struck two Russian vessels transporting weapons and military equipment through the Kerch Strait.

The agency described both ships as a "key part" of Russia's Kerch ferry service, used to supply ammunition and equipment to Russian forces fighting against Ukraine.

"As a result of the operation, the enemy's railway ferry 'Slavianin' was put out of action, and the vessel 'Avangard' was damaged," the statement reads.

The Kerch Strait — a 35-kilometer (21-mile) waterway linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov — separates the Kerch Peninsula in Russian-occupied Crimea from Russia's Taman Peninsula and serves as a key logistics corridor for Moscow.

Ukraine attacked two Russian vessels transporting weapons and military equipment through the Kerch Strait on March 14, 2026. (Ukraine's military intelligence agency / Telegram)

As part of the same operation, Ukrainian intelligence units, working alongside other military formations, struck infrastructure at the Port Kavkaz in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

HUR said Russia has been using the port to sustain military operations against Ukraine.

The facility, located on the Chushka Spit, is one of Russia's largest passenger ports and supports the ferry connection with occupied Crimea.

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike, reporting damage to port infrastructure. 

Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses "intercepted and destroyed" 87 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.