Ukraine Strikes Russian Shadow Fleet Oil Tankers with Naval Drones in Black Sea

An unmanned sea vehicle struck a Russian oil tanker, Virat in the Black Sea on Saturday. This was the second attack on the same vessel, which had previously been hit by blasts late Friday.

The crew of the tanker issued a distress call on an intercepted open-frequency radio, stating "This is VIRAT. Help needed! Drone attack! Mayday!" The crew was referring to unmanned maritime drones rather than aerial drones.

According to the Turkish transport ministry's statement on X, "The Virat, which was previously said to have been attacked by unmanned maritime vehicles approximately 35 nautical miles off the Black Sea coastline, was attacked again by unmanned maritime vehicles early this morning."

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu explained that "An external impact means the vessel was hit by a mine, a rocket, or a similar projectile, or perhaps by a drone, or by an unmanned underwater vehicle. These are the first things that come to mind."

Despite the attack, Virat reportedly sustained only minor damage and remains in stable condition, with the crew reported to be in good health.

Ukraine has claimed responsibility for the attack. AFP reported that Ukrainian forces targeted Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, at a time when Kyiv faces intense US pressure to sign a peace deal.

A Ukrainian security service official confirmed that the joint operation against the 'shadow fleet' vessels was conducted by the SBU and Ukrainian navy. "Video footage shows that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively taken out of service. This will deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation," the official stated.

The official further revealed that "Modernised Sea Baby naval drones successfully targeted the vessels," and shared video allegedly showing sea drones approaching the two ships before causing explosions.

Both targeted tankers fly a Gambian flag according to the VesselFinder website and are subject to Western sanctions for transporting oil from Russian ports, violating an embargo imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has repeatedly called for stricter international measures against Russia's 'shadow fleet,' arguing that the export of vast quantities of oil is funding Russia's war efforts despite sanctions. According to The Kyiv Independent, the targeted ships could have transported oil worth approximately $70 million.