Ukraine launches attack on Russian ‘shadow’ tanker in Mediterranean
- Ukraine has reportedly used aerial drones to strike a Russian "shadow fleet" oil tanker, the Qendil, in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time.
- An SBU security service official confirmed the attack, with MarineTraffic data showing it occurred in neutral waters over 2,000 km from Ukraine, off Libya's coast, causing critical damage to the empty vessel.
- This incident marks an escalation in Kyiv's campaign against Russian oil shipping, following previous strikes on refineries, Caspian Sea rigs, and Black Sea tankers.
- The Qendil is part of Russia's unregulated "shadow fleet", which Ukraine claims helps Moscow fund its war efforts by exporting oil despite Western sanctions.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to the Black Sea in response to such attacks, which he has labelled as piracy.