Ukraine Targets Russian Oil Tankers in Black Sea Escalation
Ukrainian naval drones have struck two oil tankers belonging to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea, marking a significant escalation in Kyiv's efforts to disrupt Russian oil revenues. The attacks, verified by video footage showing waterborne drones hitting the vessels, have raised concerns about maritime security in the region.
The targeted tankers, identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat, both flagged to the Gambia, were struck off the Turkish coast. The Virat was reportedly hit twice, on Friday and again on Saturday. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in either incident.
These attacks appear to be a deliberate strategy by Ukraine to undermine Russia's oil revenues, which are critical for sustaining its war efforts. By targeting vessels involved in circumventing Western sanctions, Kyiv aims to exert greater economic pressure on Moscow.
The two ships are reportedly part of Russia's "shadow fleet," a term used to describe the hundreds of tankers Russia employs to bypass Western sanctions imposed following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This fleet largely consists of aged tankers, often with obscured ownership and insurance details.
The Kairos was struck in the southwestern Black Sea area, while the Virat was hit further east in the central region. According to London Stock Exchange data, both vessels are listed as subject to sanctions.
The attacks were carried out using Sea Baby drones, a type of naval drone produced by Ukraine's security services, known as the SBU.
Turkish authorities have confirmed assisting the vessels and released footage showing Turkish boats attempting to extinguish the fire on the Kairos.
The attacks are widely interpreted as a warning from Ukraine, indicating that ships carrying Russian oil in the Black Sea face a heightened risk of direct attack, in addition to potential Western sanctions.
Oil Consortium Suspends Loading After Drone Attack
In a separate incident, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which transports oil from the Caspian region, announced the suspension of loading operations at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. This decision followed an overnight attack by unmanned boats that caused significant damage to a mooring point.
Russia and Kazakhstan are major stakeholders in the CPC, which also includes Western firms such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and Shell.
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Aibek Smadiyarov expressed strong indignation regarding the attack, describing it as the third of its kind. He emphasized Kazakhstan's commitment to ensuring a "stable and uninterrupted" energy supply and stated that the incident had negatively impacted relations between Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Smadiyarov called on Kyiv to take "concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of such situations."
Ukrainian Delegation Heads to US for War-Ending Talks
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that a delegation led by top security official Rustem Umerov is en route to the US to continue discussions on an agreement to end the war. Umerov is replacing Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, who resigned after anti-corruption detectives searched his apartment.
The Ukrainian delegation is scheduled to meet with US officials in Florida on Sunday. Furthermore, Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy, is slated to hold talks in Moscow next week.
