Ukraine Hit Two Large Russia-Linked Oil Tankers in Black Sea

Ukrainian naval drones hit two large Russia-linked oil tankers in the Black Sea as Moscow and Kyiv expand the scope of their mutual maritime strikes.

(Bloomberg) — Ukrainian naval drones hit two large Russia-linked oil tankers in the Black Sea as Moscow and Kyiv expand the scope of their mutual maritime strikes. The Security Service of Ukraine and the Navy attacked the tankers Louise 1 and Banda, the Kyiv-based intelligence service said in a Telegram statement on Thursday.

Both vessels are under Ukrainian sanctions and have been carrying Russian crude for export from the nation’s ports on the Black and Baltic Seas, according to the statement. Ukraine has recently intensified its attacks on Russia’s energy assets — including oil refineries and tankers – in an attempt to bring the Kremlin to the negotiating table. The Black Sea is a key waterway for exports, accounting for over 20% of total seaborne crude flows from the nation.

“Each strike on the shadow fleet is a direct blow to the ability of the Russian Federation to continue aggression,” according to the statement. Ukraine’s campaign of attacks against refineries has forced Russia to export more crude that can’t be processed at home, raising shipments to the highest level since the start of the war. Meanwhile, Kyiv is intensifying its strikes on tankers in both the Black and Azov Seas.

The Banda Aframax crude tanker under the flag of Liberia was last seen in the Black Sea on Thursday and currently has a status of “not under command,” according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The status means the vessel is unable to maneuver due to some exceptional circumstances. Most recently, the Banda called at the Georgian port of Kulevi and the Russian port of Novorossiysk, the nation’s largest oil outlet on the Black Sea, the data show.

The Louise 1 Suezmax crude tanker sailing under the flag of Panama was last seen near Russia’s Black Sea coast on Thursday and so far has a status of ‘underway using engine.” Most recently, it called at the Turkish ports of Istanbul and Canakkale, according to the data. Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff in a Telegram statement said that a total of six Russia-linked oil tankers and two tug vessels were hit in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov on Thursday, providing no names of the ships.