The Black Sea has turned into a perilous hunting ground for Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet," as Ukrainian security services (SBU) confirmed a successful double strike against tankers attempting to bypass international oil sanctions. In a covert joint operation involving the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy, advanced "Sea Baby" maritime drones targeted two vessels on Friday and Saturday, delivering a significant blow to the logistics network that funds Moscow's war effort.
According to Ukrainian security sources, the operation left both tankers with critical damage, effectively taking them out of service. The targets were identified as the Virat and the Kairos, both sailing under Gambian flags of convenience. These massive vessels are part of the flotilla of ghost ships Russia utilizes to transport crude oil to global customers in defiance of Western sanctions. Both ships had been previously blacklisted by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union for their role in the illicit trade.
The attack on the Kairos, a vessel weighing nearly 80,000 tons, resulted in an explosion and a fire on the open deck. The situation was severe enough that all 25 crew members were evacuated, and Turkish maritime authorities dispatched tugboats to battle the blaze about 30 miles off the Turkish coast. Meanwhile, the Virat was struck on Friday and reportedly targeted again on Saturday. While Turkey’s Transport Ministry noted the damage was minor and above the waterline, tracking data showed the vessel slowing significantly and altering course toward the coast.
While the attacks took place in international waters, the proximity to Turkey has raised alarms in Ankara. The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding the safety of navigation and the environmental risks posed by exploding oil tankers near the Bosphorus Strait.
The offensive was not limited to ships at sea. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium reported a simultaneous drone strike on a mooring point in the Russian port of Novorossiysk. This facility is a critical hub for oil exports, including those from Kazakhstan. The strike has triggered diplomatic friction, with Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry protesting the incident as an act of aggression against civilian infrastructure, forcing the central Asian nation to redirect its oil exports to alternative routes.
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