Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Ukraine’s security services claim to have crippled two tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in a series of underwater drone strikes in the Black Sea, marking one of Kyiv’s most direct attacks yet on vessels allegedly used to help Moscow evade international sanctions on its oil exports.
According to an official with Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), Sea Baby maritime drones sophisticated, Ukrainian-developed unmanned vessels, were deployed in a joint operation conducted by the SBU and the Ukrainian navy. The strikes occurred across Friday and Saturday, with explosions hitting two tankers operating under the flags of convenience commonly used by Russia’s sanction-busting fleet. Moscow has not publicly commented on the incidents.
The SBU source, said both tankers suffered “critical damage” and were effectively rendered inoperable. “This will deal a significant blow to the transportation of Russian oil,” the official said, noting that the Kremlin relies on hundreds of leased or covertly operated tankers to maintain its energy exports despite Western restrictions.
One of the targeted vessels the Gambian-flagged tanker Virat, was reportedly hit twice, sustaining damage on Friday before being struck again on Saturday. Turkey’s Transport Ministry said the second attack caused only minor damage above the waterline, adding that no fire occurred and the crew had not requested evacuation. The ship was positioned roughly 30 miles off Turkey’s coast and was later observed slowing and turning toward shore. The vessel’s destination remained unclear, with tracking data listing it as awaiting orders. The Virat had been sanctioned earlier this year by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union, previously sailing under a different name.
A separate explosion was reported Friday on another Gambian-flagged tanker, the Kairos, also carrying Russian crude. All 25 crew members were evacuated after a major fire broke out on board. Video from the scene showed Turkish tugboats battling the blaze about 30 miles offshore. By Saturday, Turkey’s Transport Ministry confirmed the deck fire had been extinguished. The Kairos, a 275-meter-long, 80,000-ton vessel, had left an Indian port earlier this month, bound for the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It, too, had been sanctioned by the European Union earlier this year.
Neither ship was in Turkish territorial waters at the time of the explosions. Both had transited the Bosphorus Strait in recent days, joining a stream of tankers sanctioned for transporting Russian crude through the same route, according to maritime tracking data.
The strikes occurred amid a growing pattern of mysterious incidents targeting Russian-linked energy transport in the region. Earlier this year, several unexplained explosions damaged additional vessels involved in moving Russian oil from the Black Sea, raising concerns about Kyiv’s evolving maritime campaign.
The attacks extended beyond tankers this weekend. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium reported that a Ukrainian maritime drone struck a mooring point at the Russian port of Novorossiysk early Saturday. The port serves as a crucial transit hub for Kazakhstan’s oil exports, which flow through Russia en route to global markets. In response, Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said it had activated contingency plans to redirect exports via alternative routes.
Novorossiysk has been targeted by Ukrainian drones multiple times since the start of the war, underscoring its strategic importance to Russia’s oil infrastructure. Ukrainian officials have not yet issued additional statements regarding the latest operation.
The escalation at sea highlights Kyiv’s increasing reliance on long-range and unmanned technologies to disrupt Russian supply lines, especially as the conflict grinds deeper into its third year. With both sides seeking leverage beyond the front lines, the Black Sea continues to emerge as a critical and increasingly contested—battleground.
