Ukraine Strikes Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers in Black Sea
On the night of November 28, the Ukrainian armed forces deployed so-called Sea Baby Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) in the Black Sea and specifically attacked two tankers, believed to be part of Russia‘s alleged shadow fleet. This fleet, made up of aging oil tankers flying under flags of convenience, is used by Russia to circumvent the oil embargo’s that has been put in place by Western countries.
The Ukrainian drones struck the oil tankers Kairos and Virat in the vicinity if the Turkish Straits. Both vessels were empty at the time of the attack and heading towards the Russian oil terminal located at Novorossiysk to load oil. The Kiaros was coming from Egypt and was attacked 28 nautical miles offshore the Turkish coast. The vessel suffered an explosion and fire, disabling the vessel. The second vessel, Virat, was struck near the engine room but is reported as in stable condition.
New Phase in Maritime War
With these strikes, the Ukrainians are opening a new phase in the maritime war in the Black Sea whereby Ukrainian USVs are targeting Shadow Fleet tankers, possibly to dissuade other ships belonging to the Shadow Fleet to no longer head to Russian ports. This development has significant implications for global oil markets and could lead to further economic pressure on Russia.
International Reactions
So far, no major reactions were recorded except for Kazakhstan and Turkey. Kazakhstan complaints are however directed against the Ukrainian drone attacks that disabled the CPC oil terminal at Novorossiysk. This terminal is a major outlet not only for Russian but also counts for 80% Kazakh crude exports.
Turkey’s response was aimed to the fact that both Ukrainian USV attacks took place within Turkey’s Exclusive E Economic Zone (EEZ), posing a risk to navigation, life, property, and environmental safety. In both attacks, Turkish rescue services had to intervene to control the fire and damage and rescue the crew. In the case of the Kiaros, the rescue vessels Kurtama-12 and Nene Hatun had to be deployed.
Russian Response
Russia strongly condemned the attacks but so far has not been able to formulate a strong response to the Ukrainian drone attacks. The lack of a robust response from Russia may indicate that they are still assessing their options or trying to avoid escalating the situation further.
Sinking of Mersin Tanker
The attacks coincided with a third incident, involving the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Mersin, which started sinking near the coast of Dakar, Senegal. This tanker reportedly docked at Taman, Russia, in August and then headed for Togo. The vessel then remained stationary near Senegal with a last AIS signal reported on November 25. No official cause of the sinking was reported, leaving it unknown if the tanker suffered mechanical problems or was sabotaged.
Conclusion
The Ukrainian strikes against Russian Shadow Fleet tankers mark a significant escalation in the maritime war in the Black Sea. As Ukraine continues to target these vessels, Russia will need to respond to maintain its economic interests and prevent further damage to its energy sector. The international community is closely watching this development, and any further escalation could have far-reaching consequences for global oil markets and regional stability.
Original Article: Ukraine Strikes Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers in Black Sea — Navalnews