Ukrainian naval drones struck and disabled a tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea on Wednesday as it traveled through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone toward Novorossiysk, a Ukrainian official said.
The Dashan tanker was sailing at maximum speed with its transponders turned off and sustained critical damage during the attack, in which powerful explosions hit its stern, the official at the Security Service of Ukraine said.
The country has been carrying out attacks on Russian-linked merchant vessels in the Black Sea, heightening tensions in the region. The vessels struck by Ukraine are believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet," tankers Kyiv says help Moscow bypass Western sanctions by exporting oil that funds its war effort. Both ships were empty and en route to Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea oil terminal.
The strike on the Dashan, which is under European Union and British sanctions and is sailing without a known flag registry, was also confirmed by three maritime security sources.
There was no immediate comment from Russia on the incident.
Naval drones could be seen speeding towards the hulking tanker, followed by powerful explosions as they reached it, video footage provided by the official showed.
Reuters was able to verify it was the Dashan tanker in the video by comparing the deck, cranes and structures with file imagery. The location and date were confirmed by the SBU source's account and ship tracking data.
"The SBU continues to take active measures to reduce petrodollar revenues to the Russian budget," said the official.
"Over the past two weeks, this is the third tanker of the shadow fleet put out of action that had helped the Kremlin circumvent international sanctions."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, threatened last week to sever Ukraine's access to the Black Sea in response to the attacks on tankers, which he derided as piracy.
Ukraine has been attacking Russian oil refineries for months, using long-range aerial drones to strike far behind the front lines of Moscow's war against Ukraine.
The strikes on the tankers represent a different line of attack.
There have been at least seven blasts on other tankers that called at Russian ports since December 2024 at locations including in the Mediterranean.
Ukraine is suspected of carrying out those attacks using limpet mines, maritime security sources said, but Kyiv has not confirmed or denied any role.
