SBU Reports Critical Damage to Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Black Sea
Ukraine’s Security Service used Sea Baby naval drones to strike an oil tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea on December 10, critically damaging the ship as it sailed through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone. The tanker, identified as the Comoros-flagged Dashan, was heading toward the Russian port terminal of Novorossiysk at high speed with its automatic identification system switched off when it was hit, resulting in “critical damage” as explosions ripped through the stern area.
According to a source within the agency, video shared by the SBU shows large blasts at the rear of the ship. The source stated that preliminary assessments indicate that the Dashan has been put out of service. The tanker’s value is estimated at around $30 million, and it typically carried roughly $60 million worth of oil products on a single voyage.
Sanctions and Shadow Fleet Operations
The European Union, the U.K., Canada, Australia, and Switzerland had previously imposed sanctions on the vessel over its role in transporting Russian oil and operating with its identification systems turned off. The SBU source added that these sanctions were aimed at reducing oil-dollar revenues to the Russian budget.
The reported strike on the Dashan follows a series of Ukrainian operations targeting Russia’s shadow fleet and related oil infrastructure. Ivan Stupak, a former SBU officer, explained that the broader campaign against Russia’s shadow fleet is aimed at making the trade too risky for shipowners. “They are trying to scare tanker owners away from entering the Black Sea ports of the Russian Federation and from loading Russian oil there,” he said.
Recent Strikes and Campaign Against Shadow Fleet
On November 28, Sea Baby drones struck the sanctioned Russian oil tankers Kairos and Virat in the Black Sea off Turkey’s coast, disabling vessels that a source in the SBU said were tied to the Kremlin’s shadow fleet. Days later, Turkish authorities reported an apparent drone attack on the Russian tanker Midvolga-2 about 80 miles off Turkey’s coast while carrying sunflower oil from Russia to Georgia.
Ukraine has also used naval drones to hit infrastructure that services Russia’s oil exports. Naval drones struck Russia’s oil terminals in the Black Sea ports of Tuapse and Novorossiysk on September 24, “paralyzing” major export operations there, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence, known by its Ukrainian acronym HUR, said.
The reported strike on the Dashan marks another significant blow to Russia’s shadow fleet, which has been attempting to circumvent international sanctions. The SBU continues to actively pursue measures to reduce oil-dollar revenues to the Russian budget, and this latest operation demonstrates their commitment to disrupting these illegal activities.
Original Article: Ukrainian Sea Baby drone strike reportedly cripples Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker in Black Sea, SBU source says — Kyivindependent