Ukraine Just Hit Russia’s Shadow Fleet Near One of Its Most Critical Ports
Ukrainian forces have struck two oil tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet near the port of Novorossiysk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, describing the operation as part of Kyiv’s ongoing effort to disrupt Russian oil shipments and apply pressure on Moscow’s wartime economy.
In a statement published alongside video footage of the attack, Zelenskyy said the operation was carried out using naval drones. The footage shows what appears to be a sea drone moving toward the hull of a ship anchored near the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
“Our troops are continuing to impose sanctions on Russia’s shadow oil fleet. They struck two vessels in waters leading to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers were actively used to transport oil. That will no longer happen,” Zelenskyy said.
He did not identify the vessels that were targeted or specify when exactly the strike took place. No independent details were immediately available regarding the condition of the ships after the attack.
Zelenskyy thanked Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrii Hnatov, the Security Service of Ukraine’s counterintelligence department, and the Ukrainian Navy for their involvement in the operation, indicating that multiple branches of Ukraine’s defense and security apparatus took part in planning and executing the strike.
Russian authorities had not publicly commented on the reported attack. The extent of the damage to the tankers also remained unclear.
The reported operation points to Ukraine’s continued use of naval drones to target Russian assets in and around the Black Sea, an area that has become increasingly significant in the broader conflict. Over time, Ukraine has used maritime drone strikes to challenge Russian naval operations and threaten infrastructure tied to logistics, trade, and energy exports.
Novorossiysk holds particular strategic importance for Russia. Located on the Black Sea coast, the port is one of the country’s largest maritime hubs and plays a key role in the export of oil and petroleum products. Any disruption in the waters leading to the port has the potential to complicate shipping activity and increase pressure on commercial operations linked to Russian energy flows.
The mention of Russia’s shadow fleet is also notable. The term is commonly used to describe vessels operating in ways designed to help move Russian oil despite international restrictions and sanctions. By targeting such tankers, Ukraine appears to be signaling that it intends to go after assets that contribute not only to Russia’s military logistics but also to the revenues supporting its war effort.
The strike fits into a broader pattern of Ukrainian attacks on Russian military equipment, logistics networks, and high-value assets beyond the front line. Earlier reports said Ukraine’s Achilles Brigade destroyed a Russian Ural truck in the Belgorod region, while Ukrainian drones were also reported to have hit a rare Russian Malva 2S43 artillery system.
Together, those operations reflect Kyiv’s continued emphasis on drone warfare as a flexible tool for striking targets that may be difficult to reach through conventional means. The latest reported attack near Novorossiysk suggests that maritime operations remain an important part of that strategy.
