Ukraine strikes two Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tankers in Black Sea using maritime drones
Ukrainian security services and the Navy used Sea Baby maritime drones to strike two sanctioned Russian oil tankers, the Kairos and Virat, in the Black Sea on Friday.
November 29, 2025 - 01:37 PM ET • 2 min read
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and Navy conducted a joint operation using maritime drones to strike two oil tankers belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea on Friday, according to Ukrainian officials.
The vessels, identified as the Kairos and the Virat, were targeted near Turkey's Bosphorus Strait. Turkish authorities confirmed that blasts rocked the two tankers, causing fires, and that rescue operations were launched for those aboard.
A source within the SBU security service said the operation utilized modernized Sea Baby maritime drones, which are capable of covering long distances and are equipped with reinforced warheads. Video footage released by the SBU reportedly showed smoke rising from one of the vessels after the impact.
SBU sources claimed that both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively put out of operation, stating that the action would deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation.
The targeted vessels are part of a large fleet amassed to help Russia export oil while circumventing Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.
The Kairos, a 900-foot Suezmax-class vessel, was reported to be taking on water after an explosion, while the Virat was seen billowing smoke near the Turkish coastline, according to local reports confirmed by Turkey's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs.
SBU officials confirmed that both tankers were empty at the time of the attack, as they were en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk for loading. The *Kairos* had previously sailed from Novorossiysk to Paradip in India, hauling Russia's flagship Urals crude grade.
Both vessels are subject to international sanctions. The Kairos is sanctioned by the UK and the European Union, while the Virat has been designated by the U.S. and the EU.
An SBU official said the service continues active efforts to reduce Russia's financial capacity to wage war against Ukraine, noting that the disabled vessels could have carried nearly $70 million worth of oil.