Ukraine struck two tankers linked to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" with naval drones in the Black Sea, an SBU security official said on Saturday, after Turkish authorities reported explosions and fires aboard two vessels near the Bosphorus a day earlier.
The joint SBU-navy operation targeted the Kairos and the Virat, both empty and headed to Russia's Novorossiysk oil terminal, according to the official. Ukraine says the ships were part of a fleet used by Moscow to move sanctioned oil.
Footage released by Ukrainian security services (which you can see in the videos below) shows the vessels taking heavy damage. "Both tankers were effectively taken out of service," the official says, arguing the strikes would disrupt Russian oil transport.
Turkey said rescue operations were launched for crew members after blasts hit the two tankers on Friday. It did not comment on the source of the explosions. Kyiv has repeatedly urged stronger international action against Russia's shadow fleet, which it says allows the Kremlin to keep exporting oil and funding its war despite Western restrictions.
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