Photo: NV
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has, for the first time, struck a tanker belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Mediterranean Sea using drones. The unprecedented operation was carried out by SBU Alpha special forces in international waters, approximately 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, according to sources within the SBU.
At the time of the operation, the Russian vessel was not carrying any cargo. As a result, the strike posed no threat to the region’s environmental safety, the source said.
“Russia used this tanker to circumvent sanctions and generate revenue that was used to wage war against Ukraine. Therefore, under international law and the laws and customs of war, it is an entirely legitimate target for the SBU. The enemy must understand that Ukraine will not stop and will strike it anywhere in the world, wherever it may be,” the informed source stated.
The tanker QENDIL sustained critical damage and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. Russian authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
Previously, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine’s Defense Forces are “systematically implementing measures aimed at reducing the combat potential of Russian occupation forces and compelling Russia to end its armed aggression against Ukraine.” Since shadow fleet tankers help finance the war, Ukrainian strikes are also directed against them, wherever they may operate.
