Ukraine struck two Russian oil tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” as the vessels traveled through the Black Sea, using waterborne Sea Baby drones operated by Ukraine’s security services.
A report by the BBC, which reviewed video footage of the strikes, said the drones sped across the waves and detonated on impact, causing fire and damage to the ships. The targeted tankers were identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and the Virat, both flagged to the Gambia. They were struck near the Turkish coast and the Virat was hit again on Saturday, with no resported casualties. The attacks were described as an escalation by Kyiv as it seeks to undermine Russia’s oil revenues, which are vital to funding its war effort.
Both ships were reportedly part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a network of hundreds of tankers used by Russia to bypass sanctions imposed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The fleet is made up largely of older vessels with obscure ownership structures.
The BBC reported that the Kairos was struck in the southwest area of the Black Sea and the Virat further east in a central zone. Both vessels are on a list of ships subject to sanctions, according to data from the London Stock Exchange.
The attacks were interpreted as a warning from Ukraine that ships transporting Russian oil in the Black Sea may face direct strikes rather than just sanctions.
Additionally, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium suspended oil loading at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after it was hit by unmanned boats overnight. The consortium reported significant damage. Russia and Kazakhstan are major stakeholders in the company, which is also partly owned by Western firms including Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Aibek Smadiyarov condemned the attack, calling it the third such incident, and said it had harmed relations between Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced that a delegation from his country was traveling to the United States for continued discussions on an agreement to end the war.
