Late on Friday night, Ukrainian drones carried out an attack on a Russian tanker in the Black Sea near Crimea, as reported by Russian officials and video footage circulating on social media. This incident marked the second sea attack involving drones in the same day, following Ukraine’s strike on a major Russian port earlier on Friday. The attacks highlighted Kyiv’s increasing naval capabilities as the Black Sea becomes a critical battleground in the ongoing war.
Russian forces had previously targeted Ukrainian ports after withdrawing from a crucial grain-export agreement, which had allowed Ukraine to sell large quantities of grain on the global market.
The Russian Federal Agency for Marine and River Transport stated on Telegram that the “Sig” tanker suffered damage to the engine room near the waterline on the starboard side, presumably caused by a sea drone attack. Fortunately, the 11 crew members onboard were unharmed. However, Vladimir Rogov, a Kremlin-installed official in Ukraine’s partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region, reported that some crew members were wounded due to broken glass.
An official from Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed that they were responsible for the attack on the tanker, which was transporting fuel for Russian forces. The attack utilised a sea drone carrying approximately 450 kilograms (992 pounds) of TNT. The Ukrainian official stressed that such special operations were conducted within Ukraine’s territorial waters and deemed them completely legal. He referred to the explosions as a logical and effective response to the enemy’s actions. The attack briefly disrupted traffic on the Kerch Bridge, a 19-kilometre (12-mile) bridge connecting Moscow-annexed Crimea to Russia, as well as ferry transport.
To assist the affected tanker, tugboats were deployed. It’s worth noting that the vessel was under United States sanctions for supplying jet fuel to Russian forces fighting in Syria, according to Russia’s Tass news agency.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s strike on Novorossiysk had halted maritime traffic for a few hours and marked the first instance of a commercial Russian port being targeted in the 18-month-old conflict. Novorossiysk is a critical port with a naval base, shipbuilding yards, and an oil terminal, making it essential for exports. The port is located approximately 110 kilometres (about 60 miles) east of Crimea.
(With inputs from Associated Press)