Ukrainian unmanned boats destroy Russian oil tankers

Ukraine has confirmed the use of drone boats in attacks against two sanctioned tankers associated with Russias shadow fleet. The vessels, Kairos and Virat, caught fire on Friday near the Turkish Black Sea coast. Turkish authorities initially suggested that airborne drones or sea mines might have caused the incidents.

A representative from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated on Saturday that the country had executed the operations, telling AFP: Modernised Sea Baby naval drones successfully targeted the vessels.

Last month, the SBU introduced upgraded versions of its Sea Baby drones, capable of operating throughout the Black Sea with a range of 1,000 km and a payload capacity of 2,000 kg. During a demonstration, two variants were presented: one outfitted with a machine gun turret and another equipped with Grad rocket launchers.

The SBU source told Reuters: Video footage shows that after being hit, both tankers suffered severe damage and were effectively removed from service.

The Gambian-flagged Kairos was set ablaze 32 miles off the coast of Kocaeli province in Turkey, while Virat was struck approximately 40 miles offshore, according to Turkeys maritime authorities. Both ships were en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk to load cargo, a security source reported to the Kyiv Independent.

Both vessels are under international sanctions: Kairos by the UK and EU, and Virat by the US and EU. Local officials stated that the explosions were due to external intervention and occurred within Turkish territorial waters. Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Turkeys minister of transport and infrastructure, confirmed that neither tanker was carrying oil at the time and that rescue operations were underway. Twenty-five crew members were safely evacuated from Kairos, while the 20 crew members aboard Virat were reported in good condition.

Kyiv and Moscow had reached a US-mediated naval ceasefire in the Black Sea in March, though Russia conditioned its formal implementation on the lifting of certain sanctions affecting its food and fertilizer exports. Russias shadow fleet, composed of older tankers with unclear ownership, is frequently used to transport oil while evading Western sanctions. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted these vessels, along with Russian energy infrastructure, as part of its ongoing efforts to undermine Russias war resources.

Analysis: Ukraine’s Drone Boat Strikes on Sanctioned Russian Tankers

The confirmed use of Ukraine’s Sea Baby naval drones against the Kairos and Virat tankers marks a significant escalation in Black Sea maritime operations. Both vessels, under international sanctions, were severely damaged and removed from service, according to Ukrainian authorities. Turkey reported that the incidents occurred within its territorial waters, though no oil was aboard either ship at the time.

The upgraded Sea Baby drones, capable of striking targets up to 1,000 km away with a 2,000 kg payload, demonstrate Kyiv’s growing ability to project power at sea. The drones’ deployment shows a clear intent to disrupt Russia’s shadow fleet, which is used to bypass sanctions and transport oil internationally.

While a US-mediated Black Sea ceasefire remains in place, these attacks highlight ongoing tensions and the conditional nature of Russia’s compliance. The operations reinforce Ukraine’s strategy of targeting logistical and economic assets linked to Russian war efforts, signaling that sanctions enforcement and strategic strikes are increasingly intertwined in the conflict.

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• Ukrainian drone boats blow up Russian oil tankers