The sanctioned oil tankers Kairos and Virat were attacked as part of a joint operation of the 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence of the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy, a source said, citing, among others, by the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
“Both ships were successfully hit by modernized Sea Baby maritime drones. They can cover long distances and are equipped with reinforced warheads. The recording shows that both tankers suffered critical damage after the hits and were actually taken out of service. This is a significant blow to the transport of Russian oil,” the media source said.
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What ships were attacked by Ukraine?
What drones were used in the attack?
Is the tanker's crew in good condition?
What damage did the attacked ships suffer?
The Ukrainians attacked the tanker
He noted that at the time of the attack, two ships were empty, heading to the port of Novorossiysk for loading. “The SBU continues to take active steps to limit Russia's financial capabilities to wage war against Ukraine. Sea Baby maritime drones have disabled ships that could have transported oil worth almost $70 million and helped the Kremlin to circumvent international sanctions,” the SBU source emphasized.
Earlier, Turkey's transport ministry said that one of the two tankers of the Russian shadow fleet attacked on Friday near the Bosphorus Strait was again targeted by maritime drones on Saturday.
“This morning, the Virat tanker was damaged again. There was no fire on board, the crew is in good condition. For safety reasons, rescue teams maintain a safe distance from the ship. The unit is stable,” the ministry said in a statement quoted by Reuters. As noted, the attack caused minor damage on the starboard side, above the waterline.
Both tankers attacked on Friday are on the list of ships subject to international sanctions imposed on Russia after its aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. The ships were not carrying any cargo at the time of the attacks.
The Turkish Maritime Authority said navigation through the Bosphorus – a key trade artery for goods, including Russian crude oil, shipped from Black Sea ports – was uninterrupted.
The shadow fleet are old ships transporting Russian crude oil that the Kremlin uses to sell the raw material at prices higher than the limit set by international sanctions for Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
