Ukraine Launches Historic Drone Assault on Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in the Mediterranean

On Friday, Ukraine announced that it successfully attacked a Russian «shadow fleet» tanker using aerial drones in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, marking the first strike of its kind in the almost four-year conflict.

This shadow fleet is believed to encompass up to 1,000 vessels that frequently change their registries and have unclear ownership, allowing Moscow to continue exporting its crude oil for essential revenue despite international sanctions.

Analysts, along with various European leaders, suspect that some ships in this fleet have also been implicated in Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics across Europe.

A source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) described the operation as a «new, unprecedented special operation,» indicating it was Kyiv’s inaugural military action in the Mediterranean—approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) from Ukraine’s borders.

However, the source did not provide additional specifics about the attack, such as how the SBU launched the drone, the location of its launch, or which nations the drones might have passed over.

According to the SBU, the cargo ship was unladen during the assault, eliminating any risk of environmental damage from the operation.

The source claimed that the tanker, identified as the QENDIL, had «sustained critical damage and can no longer serve its intended purpose.»

It was noted that the vessel was being used to evade Western sanctions and finance Russia’s military efforts, making it «an entirely legitimate target.»

«The enemy must realize that Ukraine will continue to operate and can strike at any location across the globe,» the source emphasized.

Kyiv, which has been resisting Russia’s invasion for nearly four years, has reported similar attacks on tankers associated with Russia near Turkey’s Black Sea coast, following two empty oil tankers that were impacted by explosions.