Ukrainian naval drones hit two oil tankers from Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet' as they travelled through the Black Sea, Ukrainian officials have said.
Verified footage shows waterborne drones speeding through the waves into the vessels, before detonating into a ball of flame, sending black smoke into the air.
The targeted tankers were identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat, both flagged to Gambia. The attacks had no reported casualties, but they illustrate Ukraine's escalating tactics to undermine Russia’s oil revenues, which are pivotal for its ongoing military efforts.
The two ships are alleged to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet'—a group of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The vessels, typically aged and obscured in ownership, are now targets as Ukraine actively seeks to disrupt Russia's maritime operations.
The attacks employed Sea Baby drones, a product of Ukraine's security services, the SBU. Turkish authorities intervened, attempting to extinguish fires on the tanker Kairos post-strike. This marks a shift in Ukraine's strategy, signalling that Russian oil transport in the Black Sea faces not just sanctions but direct military confrontation.
Moreover, following these drone strikes, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium announced it had suspended oil loading in the Russian port of Novorossiysk due to damage from earlier unmanned boat attacks. Russian and Kazakhstan interests are at stake, leading to heightened diplomatic tensions, with Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister expressing discontent regarding the attacks.
As diplomatic channels remain active, President Volodymyr Zelensky's government is seeking to negotiate potential peace terms, while facing a dynamic battlefield environment marked by these recent maritime developments.
