 "The targeted tanker was identified as the Qendil, seen above passing through the Bosphorus in late October towards the Mediterranean. File Image / Reuters")
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate with Ukraine saying that it has attacked a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker with aerial drones 1,250 miles from its border. The strike was considered significant since it was the first such attack in the Mediterranean Sea since Moscow’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.
The vessel was located off the coast of Libya when it was hit by a Ukrainian ship on Friday. It is also important to note that the Ukrainian attack took place on the day of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual end-of-year press conference, in which he said Russia would respond to recent Ukrainian attacks on shadow fleet tankers.
Recently, there has been an escalation of maritime conflict between the two nations over the shadow fleet, a term used to describe vessels used by Russia, Iran and Venezuela to evade sanctions with deceptive practices. Ukraine has previously targeted a Russian shadow tanker in the Black Sea as it has sought to interdict an important source of revenue that is being used to finance Moscow’s illegal invasion.
It is pertinent to note that the Russian shadow fleet comprises more than 1,000 ships, which frequently change their flags and whose ownership is unclear. The fleet has enabled Moscow to keep exporting its crude oil for much-needed revenue despite the curbs and the sanctions.
Putin reacts
Russian President Vladimir Putin also commented on the latest attack on the vessel, which European leaders have alleged has been used by Russia to conduct hybrid warfare across the continent.
On Friday, Putin said Russia would “definitely respond” to Ukraine’s attacks on its so-called shadow fleet. “Ultimately, this will not lead to the expected result,” he said. “It will not disrupt any supplies, but will only create additional threats,” he said, without directly commenting on the latest attack in the Mediterranean.
The Russian president has previously threatened to sever Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea in response to the attacks on tankers, which he has derided as piracy. Putin made the recent remarks during his annual call-in show with the nation, a carefully choreographed event that has become a fixture of Russia’s political calendar.
Quick Reads
View AllThe marathon broadcast featuring the Russian leader lasted for more than four hours, allowing journalists and hand-picked members of the public to put questions directly to the president, projecting an image of openness while the agenda remains tightly controlled.
Meanwhile, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Friday that the attack was a “new, unprecedented special operation”. However, they did not give further details of the attack, including how the SBU deployed a drone in the Mediterranean, from where it was launched, or which countries the drones could have flown over, The Guardian reported.
The source maintained that the cargo vessel attacked by Ukraine was empty and that there had been no environmental threat resulting from the operation. However, the Ukrainian official did not say how the drones reached the ship, but noted that the operation involved “multi-stage” measures. “The enemy must understand that Ukraine will not stop, and will strike them anywhere in the world, wherever they may be,” the source added.
With inputs from agencies.