Ukraine’s Security Service, known as SBU, has claimed responsibility for the explosions in Russia’s shadow fleet tankers in Black Sea waters near Turkey’s Boshporus. In a statement made to local media on Saturday, the SBU said the attack on two tankers carrying oil and bound to Russia were exploded by the service’s sea drones on Friday. The service also released video footage of the attack on the tankers that have been sanctioned by the US and the EU.
"Modernized Sea Baby naval drones successfully attacked the vessels. They can cover long distances and are equipped with enhanced warheads. The video shows that both tankers were critically damaged after the hits and have been effectively taken out of service. This will deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation," a source within the SBU told media. The tankers were empty at the time of the attack and were heading towards Russia’s Novorossiysk region for loading.
The agency explained that the attack was aimed to cut Russia’s funding for its war of invasion in Ukraine.
"The SBU continues to actively curtail Russia's financial ability to wage war against Ukraine. Sea Baby naval drones disabled vessels that could have been carrying nearly $70 million worth of oil and were helping the Kremlin evade international sanctions," the source within the SBU stated.
Tankers Kairos exploded 28 miles off the coast of Turkey and caught fire while en route from Egypt to Turkey, Turkish official stated, without revealing the cause of the explosion. Around 30 minutes later, the second tanker Virat also exploded and caught fire. Both tankers had been under Western sanctions for being part of Russia’s shadow flee that seeks to circumvent the oil sanctions imposed on Russia following the Kremlin’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
