Anna Hartz
The conflict in Ukraine has expanded far beyond the country’s borders.
Ukrainian forces are now taking action against Russian supply lines in international waters. The latest operation shows that Ukraine is willing to strike targets thousands of kilometers from home to disrupt Russia’s war efforts.
Attack on Russian Fleet Oil Tanker
The Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU, carried out a complex mission over 2,000 kilometers from Ukrainian territory, reports Digi24. Its Alpha unit used drones to attack the Russian fleet oil tanker QENDIL in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The tanker was empty at the time, so there was no risk of environmental damage.
Officials said the ship had been used by Russia to evade sanctions and earn money for its war against Ukraine. They described the attack as a legal and legitimate military action under international law. “The enemy must understand that Ukraine will not stop and will strike him anywhere in the world,” a source said.
The QENDIL suffered serious damage and can no longer be used as an oil tanker. This is part of a series of strikes against the Russian phantom fleet, which moves ships under different flags to bypass restrictions. In previous operations, two other tankers, Kairos and Virat, were attacked with improved explosives carried by SBU drones. These missions involved both the Ukrainian Navy and the SBU’s military counterintelligence unit.
Caught on Fire
Earlier, explosions hit two tankers belonging to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet near the Bosphorus Strait. One of them, the 274-meter-long Kairos, caught fire while traveling from Egypt to the Russian port of Novorossiysk. The incident occurred about 28 nautical miles off the coast of Turkey. Another tanker, the Virat, was damaged about 35 nautical miles further east in the Black Sea.
These operations show that Ukraine is expanding its fight into strategic areas critical to Europe’s energy and shipping routes. Ukrainian authorities say the goal is to disrupt Russia’s ability to fund its war. The strikes demonstrate the reach of Ukrainian forces and the use of new drone technologies to target high-value ships on the open sea.
Analysts note that these attacks could have wider implications for maritime security and shipping in the region. They also signal that Ukraine is willing to take bold and unconventional steps to challenge Russian logistics far from the front lines.
Sources: Digi24
