Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russia’s oil trade by striking two tankers linked to Moscow’s sanction-evading maritime network in the Black Sea, signalling Kyiv’s determination to target the financial underpinnings of Russia’s war effort, the BBC has reported.

Verified footage shows Ukrainian sea drones directing themselves at the tankers before exploding on impact, producing fireballs and thick plumes of smoke. Turkish authorities have reportedly identified the tankers as the Kairos and the Virat, both sailing under the flag of Gambia but understood to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet used to deliver oil cargoes to China and other Asian destinations in recent months. The incidents occurred off Turkey’s coast on November 28, with the Virat reportedly sustaining a second hit the following day. According to the BBC, no crew injuries have been reported and the explosions caused by the drones look to have caused little more than superficial damage.

The vessels as part of a sprawling “shadow fleet” of ageing tankers were assembled by Russia after Western sanctions restricted access to mainstream shipping and insurance markets. Many of these ships operate with opaque ownership structures, limited oversight and minimal compliance with international safety norms. Analysts view the fleet as a central mechanism through which Moscow is now able to redirect oil exports to buyers willing to skirt or disregard Western restrictions, thereby ensuring a continued flow of revenue to the Kremlin.

Shipping data indicate that both tankers were already designated for sanctions monitoring. The Kairos was attacked in the south-western quadrant of the Black Sea, while the Virat was struck further to the east. Ukrainian security sources said the operation employed so-called Sea Baby drones, domestically produced by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency and increasingly used in Kyiv’s naval operations.

Turkey released footage showing its coastal vessels attempting to extinguish flames on the Kairos. Ankara has also confirmed that its maritime authorities had been providing assistance following the attacks. The strikes are widely seen as a signal that Ukraine is prepared to confront not only Russian naval assets but also its commercial shipping network linked to Moscow’s oil trade, raising the costs and risks for operators engaged in sanction-evading transport.

In a related development reported by the BBC, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, the key export route for oil from Kazakhstan and Russia’s Caspian region, suspended loading at the port of Novorossiysk after unmanned surface vessels caused significant damage to a mooring point. The consortium’s ownership spans Russian and Kazakh state entities alongside Western groups including ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell. Any prolonged disruption risks complicating supply flows at a time when global oil markets remain sensitive to geopolitical shocks.