Security Service maritime drones disable another Russian tanker in Black Sea - Sources
Photo: Dashan tanker from the shadow fleet (marinetraffic.com)
On December 10, maritime drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck another sanctioned Russian tanker in the Black Sea, part of the so-called shadow fleet. According to preliminary information, the vessel has been put out of action, according to sources within the SBU.
According to sources, SBU maritime drones Sea Baby attacked the Russian tanker Dashan, part of Russia’s shadow fleet, in the Black Sea on December 10. The tanker flies the flag of the Comoros Islands to conceal its affiliation.
The vessel was intercepted in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone while moving at full speed with its transponder turned off, heading toward the Novorossiysk port terminal. As a result of the attack, the tanker sustained critical damage and was completely put out of action — powerful explosions can be clearly seen in video footage shown by the sources.
The tanker is valued at approximately $30 million, and a single voyage can carry oil worth $60 million. Dashan is subject to multiple sanctions, including those imposed by Ukraine, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland.
Photo: screenshot
The operation was carried out by the 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence of the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy.
This is already the third incident of strikes on Russian tankers in the past two weeks. On November 29, RBC-Ukraine sources reported that Ukrainian maritime drones Sea Baby struck two tankers of Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea — the Kairo and Virat.
Both vessels were empty and en route to be loaded in Novorossiysk. As a result of the attacks, the tankers were put out of action. The Kairo was towed to Bulgaria, but there it ultimately suffered a complete loss.
