The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) announced that it had carried out a new offensive in the Black Sea against the so-called shadow fleet used by Russia to export oil.
The operation, conducted jointly with the Ukrainian Navy, targeted the tankers Louise 1 and Banda, both sanctioned by Kyiv and accused of transporting Russian oil along international routes.
According to Ukrainian authorities, Louise 1 operated by circumventing restrictions imposed by the G7 and the European Union, sailing with its automatic identification system switched off. This year alone, the vessel reportedly transported nearly 3 million tonnes of Urals crude oil. Banda, meanwhile, loaded cargo at major Russian ports, including Ust-Luga, Kerch, Novorossiysk, and Nakhodka.
During the operation, Russian aircraft attempted to neutralize the Mamai naval drones with machine-gun fire and bombs dropped from the air. According to the SSU, the attempts failed to prevent the attack, and footage released by the agency shows that the drones successfully completed their mission.
Kyiv says the operations against the shadow fleet are intended to weaken Russia’s ability to finance the war through oil exports. The attack came just days after another Ukrainian naval drone, the Sea Baby, struck the tanker Blue in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, also in the Black Sea.
Морські дрони СБУ уразили танкери «тіньового флоту» рф «Louise 1» та «Banda» у Чорному морі
➡️ https://t.co/ZlfzUlM01M pic.twitter.com/B63qHA4LRb
— СБ України (@ServiceSsu) July 16, 2026
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Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @ServiceSsu | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
