On July 14 2026 Ukraine launched strikes at 11 Russian ships in the Sea of Azov. A wave of strikes followed weeks of similar attacks on vessels. Russia shut the shipping lanes quickly and called the strikes acts of terror. Kyiv reported it hit over a hundred ships in a week, with most sunk. Key export paths are now blocked for traders. Reuters and global media say new route talks are now under way. Moscow warned it will respond but Ukraine continued strikes on Azov ships that day.