Ukraine Strikes Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tankers with Naval Drones
Ukraine‘s naval drones have struck two sanctioned oil tankers in the Black Sea as they headed to a Russian port to load up with oil destined for foreign markets, an official said on Saturday. The strikes are part of Kyiv’s efforts to ramp up pressure on Russia‘s vast oil industry.
The two oil tankers, identified as the Kairos and Virat, were empty and sailing to Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea oil terminal, the official at the Security Service of Ukraine told Reuters. The naval drones could be seen speeding towards hulking tankers followed by powerful explosions that caused fires on the vessels, video footage shared by the official showed.
The strikes represent a different kind of attack from Ukraine‘s previous long-range aerial drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. “Video shows that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively taken out of service. This will deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation,” the official said in a written statement.
Ukraine has been attacking Russian oil refineries for months using long-range aerial drones to strike far behind the front lines of Moscow’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The strikes on the tankers are part of Kyiv’s efforts to target Russia‘s so-called “shadow fleet”, which the Ukrainian government says is helping Moscow export large quantities of oil and fund its war in Ukraine despite Western sanctions.
The fleet of hundreds of often ageing, unregulated vessels came to prominence after Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, bypassing Western sanctions aimed at reducing Moscow’s oil revenue. Kyiv has repeatedly called on the West to take real action against Russia’s shadow fleet.
Turkish Concerns and International Reactions
Turkey expressed concern over the attacks, saying the incidents took place in its Exclusive Economic Zone and posed serious safety risks. Ankara is in contact with relevant parties to prevent the war from spreading in the Black Sea and to protect the country’s economic interests and operations in the region, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which handles more than 1% of global oil, said on Saturday it halted operations after a mooring at Russia‘s Black Sea terminal was significantly damaged by a Ukrainian naval drone attack. CPC exports mainly from Kazakhstan via Russia and the Black Sea terminal. Kazakhstan called the attack unacceptable.
Sanctions and Ship Details
Both the Kairos and Virat are on a list of ships subject to sanctions imposed against Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to LSEG data. The Kairos suffered an explosion and caught fire on Friday while en route from Egypt to Russia, Turkey’s Transport Ministry said. The crew was evacuated by rescue boats while efforts to extinguish the fire continued.
The Virat was reportedly struck some 35 nautical miles offshore, further east in the Black Sea, the ministry said. That ship was attacked again on Saturday by unmanned vessels, sustaining minor damage to its starboard side above the waterline, the ministry added. It said the vessel was in stable condition and the crew in good health.
Conclusion
Ukraine‘s naval drones have dealt a significant blow to Russia‘s oil transportation capabilities with the strikes on two sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea. The attacks are part of Kyiv’s efforts to target Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and put pressure on Moscow’s vast oil industry.
Original Article: Ukraine hits two Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tankers with naval drones — Reuters