Ukraine Says It Hit Russian Oil and Gas Tankers in the Black Sea

Ukrainian forces hit multiple Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight as Kyiv expands the scope of its naval attacks against Moscow.

(Bloomberg) — Ukrainian forces hit multiple Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight as Kyiv expands the scope of its naval attacks against Moscow. “The first round of the naval battle is over” after Ukraine hit more than 100 Russia-linked ships in the Sea of Azov in recent days, drone unit commander Robert Brovdi said in a statement on Telegram. “Now, the Black Sea.”

On Wednesday, Ukraine attacked 17 oil tankers, two gas carriers and one tug boat there, Brovdi said, adding that he’ll provide an official report and video evidence later. Bloomberg couldn’t independently verify the number of affected vessels. The Black Sea is a key waterway for Russia’s crude oil exports, and any disruptions there can curb shipments that recently reached the highest level since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Novorossiysk, Russia’s largest Black Sea oil port, loaded more than 980,000 barrels of crude a day in June, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s more than 20% of Russia’s total seaborne crude exports for the month, based on figures from the International Energy Agency. The Black Sea also hosts the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, the single largest export route for Kazakh crude and an outlet for some Russian barrels.

Last week, a Ukrainian drone attacked an oil tanker en route to the CPC facility. Following attacks on Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov last week, Moscow suspended shipping through the Don-Azov Channel, which links the sea with the Don River, Reuters reported Friday. It also closed the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, according to the news service.

Meanwhile, Russia has also been attacking Ukraine’s Black Sea assets. Earlier Wednesday, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said it struck the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Dnipro-Bugsky overnight, damaging four vessels delivering cargo to Ukraine’s armed forces.