Ukraine Strikes Sanctioned ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker Near Tuapse Using Naval Drones

Ukrainian forces have struck a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea, according to Ukraine’s General Staff on April 29.

The tanker, identified as MARQUISE, was hit by two unmanned naval drones launched by a Ukrainian Navy unit.

The vessel was located around 210 kilometres southeast of the Russian port city of Tuapse in Krasnodar Krai at the time of the attack.

Ukraine’s military said the tanker was sailing under the flag of Cameroon and was not transmitting an Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal.

Officials stated the vessel was likely waiting at sea to receive cargo from another ship.

The strike targeted the stern section of the tanker, including the engine room and propeller-rudder system.

Ukrainian authorities said the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

The MARQUISE has a cargo capacity of more than 37,000 tonnes and is listed under sanctions by multiple countries, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Canada.

According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, the vessel has been involved in transporting Russian-origin oil and petroleum products since December 2023.

The tanker is also linked to Lidoil DMCC, a UAE-based operator, and has been flagged for using deceptive shipping practices.

These include operating in the Kerch Strait and ports in Russian-occupied Crimea, as well as disabling AIS tracking to conceal movements during operations such as ship-to-ship transfers.

AIS is a key maritime tracking system that allows vessels to broadcast their identity, position, and navigation data.

Ships attempting to bypass sanctions have been known to switch off AIS to avoid detection, particularly in high-risk or restricted waters.

Additionally, Ukrainian drone strikes also targeted oil-related infrastructure inside Russia. Per local reports, facilities in the cities of Perm and Orsk were hit overnight on April 29.

Ukraine’s Security Service later confirmed an attack on an oil pumping station near Perm.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 98 Ukrainian drones across several regions, including Astrakhan, Belgorod, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov, and Saratov, along with Russian-occupied Crimea.

Separately, Ukraine’s defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov stated that Ukrainian naval drones had previously downed two Russian Su-30SM fighter jets over the Black Sea using US-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

References: Kyivindependent, united24media