The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) for the first time attacked the Russian shadow fleet tanker QENDIL with drones in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea — 2 000 km from Ukraine.
Babel was informed about this by sources in the special services.
The Russian ship was not carrying any cargo at the time of the strike. It suffered critical damage and cannot be used for its intended purpose.
According to the website MarineTraffic, which tracks ship movements in real time around the world, the oil tanker QENDIL is sailing under the flag of Oman. At the time of the strike, it was heading towards the Russian port of Ust-Luga, in the Leningrad region.
SBU emphasized that Russia used this tanker to circumvent sanctions and earn money that went to the war against Ukraine, "therefore, from the point of view of international law and the laws and customs of war, this is an absolutely legitimate target for SBU".
- Ukrainian naval drones attacked two sanctioned oil tankers of the Russian shadow fleet in the Black Sea on November 20. Both were effectively disabled due to critical damage after the hits. They could have been carrying almost $70 million worth of oil.
- And on December 15, “Sub Sea Baby” underwater drones attacked a Russian submarine for the first time. The operation was carried out jointly by the Security Service and the Navy.
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