Ukraine Targets Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tankers in Black Sea Drone Strikes

Image Source: Internet

In a significant escalation of its campaign against Russia's oil industry, Ukraine has launched drone strikes against two sanctioned oil tankers in the Black Sea. The tankers, identified as the Kairos and Virat, were sailing to the Russian port of Novorossiysk to load up with oil for foreign markets. According to an official at the Security Service of Ukraine, the naval drones caused critical damage to both vessels, effectively taking them out of service. This blow to Russia's oil transportation is seen as a major setback for the country's vast oil industry. Ukraine has been targeting Russian oil refineries for months using long-range aerial drones. However, this is a different kind of attack, as it directly targets the 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers that Ukraine claims is helping Moscow export large quantities of oil and fund its war in Ukraine despite Western sanctions. The 'shadow fleet' is a group of hundreds of ageing, unregulated vessels that have come to prominence since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These ships have been bypassing Western sanctions aimed at reducing Moscow's oil revenue. The attack on the tankers comes as the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which handles over 1% of global oil, halted operations after a mooring at Russia's Black Sea terminal was damaged by a Ukrainian naval drone attack. Kazakhstan has condemned the attack as unacceptable. The use of naval drones in the attack has raised concerns about safety risks. Turkey, which has been involved in efforts to prevent the war from spreading in the Black Sea, has voiced its concerns about the incidents. The attack on the tankers is seen as a significant move by Ukraine to pile pressure on Russia's oil industry. With the country's economy heavily reliant on oil exports, the impact of these strikes could be felt for some time to come.