Putin invents new threat to Ukraine after attacks on Russia’s shadow fleet tankers
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Getty Images)
The Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening to cut Ukraine off from access to the sea after an attack was carried out on tankers of the shadow fleet, the Kremlin leader’s statement was cited by Kommersant.
Commenting on the attack on tankers in the Black Sea, Putin said that Russia "will consider the possibility of retaliatory measures against the ships of those countries" that allegedly help Ukraine carry out operations against Russian tankers.
"The most radical way is to cut Ukraine off from the sea, then it would be impossible to engage in piracy in general," Putin added.
He demanded that the Ukrainian leadership "and those standing behind them" consider "whether it is worth continuing such practices."
Attack on tankers
On November 28, a fire broke out on two tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea, near the Bosporus.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport reported that an explosion and fire occurred on the vessel Kairos during its voyage from Egypt to the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
According to Turkish authorities, the tanker was subjected to an "external impact."
Another vessel, Virat, was damaged approximately 35 nautical miles off the coast of Türkiye.
On November 29, sources cited by RBC-Ukraine reported that the Security Service of Ukraine's maritime drones, Sea Baby, successfully struck the two sanctioned tankers, Kairos and Virat, in the Black Sea. Both vessels are part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
The attack used upgraded Sea Baby drones, designed for long-range operations and equipped with enhanced charges. Both tankers were seriously damaged and effectively put out of action, complicating the transportation of Russian oil.
According to sources, at the time of the strike, the vessels were sailing empty toward Novorossiysk for loading. Such attacks directly impact Russia’s financial resources for waging war, as these tankers could have carried oil worth nearly $70 million.
