Ukraine says its sea drones hit two sanctioned Russian-linked tankers near Turkey, escalating tensions over Moscow’s covert oil network.
Ukraine Targets Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ With Sea Drone Strikes
Incident Unfolds in Turkey’s Economic Zone
Ukrainian officials say two sanctioned oil tankers operating under Gambia’s flag were struck by sea drones Friday evening while travelling several dozen kilometres off Turkey’s coast. The explosions were reported by the crews of the vessels Kairos and Virat, prompting immediate alerts to Turkish authorities as the situation unfolded within Turkey’s exclusive economic zone.
Details of the Impacted Vessels
According to early reports, Kairos, en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk, caught fire following the strike, forcing all 25 crew members to evacuate. The second tanker, Virat, sustained two hits but reported only minor structural damage. Neither ship was transporting crude oil at the time of the explosions, reducing the risk of an environmental spill despite the blasts.
Turkey Confirms Location and Response Measures
Turkey’s transport and infrastructure minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu confirmed the incidents during an interview with NTV, noting they occurred within national maritime boundaries. He said Turkish officials were coordinating with international partners to prevent further incidents and maintain navigational safety in the region, though no additional operational details were released.
Ukraine Claims the Operation
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said the attack was a joint mission carried out by the SBU and the Ukrainian navy using long-range “Sea Baby” drones equipped with reinforced warheads. Ukrainian authorities also released drone-mounted footage they claim documents the moment of impact. Both targeted tankers were already under sanctions from the U.K. and the European Union, and Virat had previously been sanctioned by Canada.
Shadow Fleet’s Expanding Reach
The incident highlights the resilience of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of older tankers that Western governments accuse of transporting sanctioned crude to keep revenue flowing to Moscow. Analysts say the fleet often relies on “flags of convenience,” registering vessels with smaller maritime nations such as The Gambia or the Cook Islands to obscure ownership and operations.
Sanctions and Structural Risks
Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative, warned that the shadow fleet has expanded significantly despite multiple rounds of sanctions. She noted that once ships are sanctioned, they lose access to Western insurers and ports, pushing them into riskier operational patterns—including turning off tracking systems and conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea.
Rising Tensions Across the Black Sea
The Black Sea region has seen intensified hostilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, with commercial vessels repeatedly hit by stray mines, drone strikes, and attacks on Ukrainian ports. This latest targeting of Russian-linked energy infrastructure follows Ukraine’s recent strikes on the port of Novorossiysk and an attack Saturday on Russia’s Afipsky refinery in the Krasnodar region.
Broader Military Escalation
The tanker strikes occurred as Russia launched a large overnight assault involving dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones across Ukraine. At least three people were killed in Kyiv, as air defences worked through the night. The escalation underscores the ongoing struggle over Russia’s energy export routes, including the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s mooring point at Novorossiysk, which officials say sustained severe damage.
