Ukraine Strikes Another ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker, This Time in the Mediterranean
The attack targeted the tanker QENDIL (imo-9310525/”>IMO imo-9310525/”>9310525) in international waters off the coast of Crete on Dec. 19, sources within the SBU told multiple outlets including Kyiv Post and The War Zone.
The operation occurred more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukrainian territory, marking a significant expansion of Kyiv’s campaign against Moscow’s sanctions-evading maritime logistics network.
Drone Strike Details Emerge
Video released and widely circulated online shows munitions being dropped onto the tanker‘s deck from what appears to be a hexacopter-type drone, suggesting the weapons were likely launched from a nearby vessel rather than from land. The SBU’s Alpha unit executed what agency sources described as a “new, unprecedented special operation” using aerial drones as part of a “multi-stage” strike.
The tanker sustained critical damage and has been rendered inoperable, according to Ukrainian officials. The SBU also noted that the vessel was empty at the time of the strike, meaning possible environmental damage was limited.
Russian Tanker’s Route Revealed
MarineTraffic data shows the QENDIL was sailing parallel to Libya’s coastline when it altered course by 188 degrees in the early hours of Dec. 19. The vessel had departed Sikka, India and was en route to Ust Luga, Russia in the Baltic Sea. Following the strike, the tanker initially changed its destination to Port Said, Egypt, and as of this writing appears to be headed to Aliaga Port, Turkey.
Context: Ukraine’s Campaign Against Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’
The QENDIL is sanctioned by both the European Union and the United Kingdom as part of Russia’s shadow fleet — a network of vessels estimated to number more than 1,000 ships that Moscow uses to circumvent Western oil export restrictions. The strike also coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual end-of-year press conference, during which he warned that Russia would “definitely respond” to Ukrainian attacks on its fleet vessels.
Putin’s Response: ‘Additional Threats’
Putin has previously threatened to sever Ukraine‘s access to the Black Sea in response to what he characterized as piracy against Russian commercial shipping. The operation is the latest in a series of Ukrainian attacks on vessels transporting Russian oil:
On Nov. 28, SBU Sea Baby maritime drones disabled the tankers Kairos and Virat near the Bosphorus Strait. On Dec. 1, the tanker Mersin sustained damage off the coast of Senegal, prompting its Turkish owner to halt Russia-related operations.
On Dec. 10, the tanker Dashan was hit in the Black Sea, with the SBU claiming the vessel sustained critical damage.
Implications: Expanded Threats for Russian-Linked Vessels
The ability to conduct short-range, mother-ship deployed drone attacks in the Mediterranean indicates that Russian-linked vessels could face threats elsewhere in European waters. The same Alpha unit responsible for the QENDIL strike also conducted an aerial drone attack on Belbek Air Base in Crimea the previous day.
Vessels Mentioned
- QENDIL (imo-9310525/”>IMO: imo-9310525/”>9310525)
Original Article: Ukraine Strikes Another ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker, This Time in the Mediterranean — Sofx