The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out, for the first time, an attack against a tanker from the so-called Russian shadow fleet in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
The operation marked a new level in Ukraine’s actions against maritime logistics linked to Moscow.
A video of the operation was released by Ukrainian volunteer Serhiy Sternenko, known for his role in delivering attack drones to Ukraine’s Defense Forces. According to the information published, the operation employed aerial drones, which struck the tanker identified as QENDIL.
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“As a result of multi-stage measures in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the SBU struck the tanker QENDIL with aerial drones,” the official statement said.
According to the SBU, at the time of the strike the vessel was not carrying any cargo and was empty, meaning the action posed no environmental risk to the region.
Data from the maritime monitoring system VesselFinder indicate that on December 19, QENDIL was recorded near the island of Crete, heading toward a port in Egypt.
Ukrainian authorities state that the tanker sustained severe damage, rendering it incapable of being used for its original purpose. The action reinforces Kyiv’s efforts to target assets associated with the Russian shadow fleet, which is used to circumvent international sanctions and maintain the flow of energy exports.
Source and images: Militarnyi | Telegram @ssternenko | @exilenova_plus. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
