In brief
Ukrainian naval drones have successfully attacked two Russian oil tankers, the Kairos and the Virat, marked as part of Russia's shadow fleet used to bypass Western sanctions. This escalation in tactics aims to undermine Russia’s oil revenues used to fund its ongoing war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government is sending a clear message that vessels transporting Russian oil are now at risk of direct attacks in addition to existing sanctions.
Ukrainian naval drones hit two oil tankers from Russia's so-called shadow fleet as they travelled through the Black Sea, Ukrainian officials have reported.
Footage verified by the BBC shows waterborne drones speeding through the waves into the vessels, before detonating in dramatic explosions, sending black smoke billowing into the air.
The tankers, named by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat, both flagged to The Gambia, were struck off the Turkish coast on Friday, with the Virat reportedly hit again on Saturday. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported from these attacks.
This move marks an escalation from Kyiv, which aims to strike at Russia's oil revenues that are critical for financing the war in Ukraine.
The two vessels were identified as part of Russia’s shadow fleet—a network of hundreds of tankers utilized by Russia to evade Western sanctions imposed following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Most of these ships are older vessels with murky ownership or insurance.
The attacks, executed using Sea Baby drones produced by Ukraine's SBU, were reportedly meant to signal that ships transporting Russian oil are now open to direct hostilities in the Black Sea, not just economic sanctions. Turkish authorities released footage showing their boats attempting to extinguish the blaze on the Kairos.
Additionally, a major consortium transporting oil from the Caspian region announced it had suspended operations at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after the drone strikes caused significant damage. This incident escalated tension with Kazakhstan, a major stakeholder in the consortium, prompting officials to call for stable energy supplies.
In parallel developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dispatched a delegation to the U.S. to continue discussions aimed at ending the war, following significant leadership changes within Ukraine’s negotiation team.
