Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers Attacked in Black Sea
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and Ukraine’s navy have carried out coordinated attacks against two sanctioned tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, according to an official statement. The daring operation involved the use of naval drones, known as Sea Baby, which struck the vessels in the Black Sea.
The dramatic moment the attack unfolded was captured on video, showing a pair of sea drones launched from Ukraine’s secret service hurtling towards the tankers and erupting upon impact. A second drone carried out a similar strike on another Russian tanker near Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait. The attacks were reportedly carried out to deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation.
Critical Damage Sustained
The SBU official stated that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively taken out of service. This will significantly impact Russia’s ability to export oil while skirting Western sanctions. The official added that the attacks will deal a major blow to Russian oil transportation.
Tanker Details Revealed
The first tanker, the Gambian-flagged Kairos, caught fire in the Black Sea approximately 28 miles off the coast of Turkey’s Kocaeli province. Authorities blamed the fire on an external impact, without providing further details. The Kairos was sailing empty toward Russia’s Novorossiysk port at the time of the attack.
The second tanker, Virat, was struck while sailing in the Black Sea about 35 nautical miles off the Turkish coast. All 25 crew members aboard the Kairos were safely evacuated, and efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing. Meanwhile, all 20 crew members aboard the Virat were safe, although heavy smoke was reported in the engine room.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene to assist. The maritime authority posted distant shots of smoke rising from the area where the Kairos caught fire. The VesselFinder website showed the Virat was anchored north of the Bosphorus, not far from its current position, on November 4.
Putin’s Shadow Fleet
Russia’s “shadow fleet” refers to a covert network of ageing oil tankers used to bypass international sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions, including price caps on Russian oil, aim to curtail Moscow’s revenues. However, the shadow fleet allows Russia to continue exporting oil globally while avoiding Western controls. This fleet is composed of older, poorly maintained vessels often operating without reputable Western insurance, relying instead on obscure providers or none at all.
To evade detection, the fleet employs tactics such as turning off tracking systems, falsifying location data, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea to disguise the oil’s origin. Its opaque operations and lack of oversight create vulnerabilities for maritime safety and international law enforcement.
Original Article: Dramatic moment two Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tankers burst into flames after Ukrainian special ops Sea Baby drone strike — The-Sun