Ukraine Targets Oil Tankers Amid Ongoing Conflict
Ukraine has reportedly launched attacks on multiple oil tankers near Turkey and West Africa as part of its efforts to undermine Russia’s elusive “shadow fleet.” This campaign follows a call from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allies to escalate their actions against the vessels Russia uses to bypass international sanctions while continuing to sell its natural resources.
Previously, Ukraine has targeted fuel tankers and infrastructure in Russian ports and on land to disrupt Moscow’s critical war funding sources. However, the recent strikes, as reported by Ukrainian media citing intelligence sources, have occurred beyond Russia’s territorial waters.
European nations and the U.S. have sanctioned numerous ships associated with the shadow fleet, accusing them of violating bans on Russian oil sales and transporting stolen Ukrainian grain. Some vessels have even been linked to espionage activities and damage to underwater telecommunications assets.
In October, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s intelligence agencies were providing information to European partners, anticipating a significant increase in efforts to combat Russian interference.
As of Tuesday, the sanctioned oil tanker Kairos was marooned off Bulgaria after a Turkish tugboat, which was towing it, separated from the vessel due to harsh weather conditions. Reports indicate the Kairos became inoperable, leaving it without heat or electricity.
Both the Kairos and another sanctioned tanker, Virat, were struck by Ukrainian “Sea Baby” drones in late November as part of a coordinated operation between Ukraine’s military intelligence and naval forces. Sources indicated that these strikes aimed to cripple Russian financial capabilities by disrupting oil transport worth nearly $70 million.
Despite the deteriorating situation, the technical manager of the tanker Mersin reported that it suffered explosions while anchored off Senegal’s coast but remained structurally safe. This vessel is also under scrutiny for participating in risky ship-to-ship oil transfers but is not currently on the U.S sanctions list. Meanwhile, incidents linked to shadow fleet vessels raise concerns about increased Russian hybrid warfare tactics, including drone incursions in European airspace.
