Ukraine’s Naval Forces said they struck the tanker MARQUISE, a vessel under international sanctions, during an operation carried out this morning in the Black Sea.
According to the information released, the operation was conducted by a unit of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which used two MBEK kamikaze vessels — unmanned attack boats — against the tanker.
At the time of the operation, the MARQUISE was reportedly drifting approximately 210 kilometers southeast of Tuapse, a port city in Russia, and was not transmitting an AIS signal. According to the Ukrainian account, the vessel was likely waiting to be loaded at sea by another ship.
AIS, short for Automatic Identification System, is a maritime navigation system used to transmit data such as a vessel’s identification, dimensions, route, speed and position.
Attack hit propulsion area and engine room
Also according to the report, the attack struck the rear section of the vessel, in the area of the propeller group and engine room. This area is considered critical to the ship’s navigational capability, as it contains essential propulsion and operational components.
The extent of the damage to the tanker is still being assessed.
The MARQUISE sails under the flag of Cameroon and, according to the information released, was unloaded at the time of the attack. The vessel reportedly has a carrying capacity of more than 37,000 tonnes.
Vessel is under international sanctions
The tanker MARQUISE is subject to sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand and Canada. Kyiv claims the vessel had been used for the illegal transport of petroleum products.
The operation comes amid an expansion of Ukrainian actions against maritime assets linked to Russian energy logistics, especially vessels suspected of operating on oil and refined fuel export routes despite international restrictions.
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Source and images: Telegram @GeneralStaffZSU | @SBUkr. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
