Ukraine's war is increasingly being waged far from its own shores—this time against the tankers that keep Russian oil flowing. CBS News reports that Ukrainian security service sources say Kyiv used "Sea Baby" naval drones to hit at least two sanctioned crude carriers, Kairos and Virat, in the Black Sea inside Turkey's exclusive economic zone, as part of what they describe as a broader campaign against Russia's "shadow fleet."
The late November strikes, which have yet to be confirmed by Ukrainian officials, mark a shift: While Ukraine has gone after oil tankers before, those have been in Russian ports, generally in the northern Black Sea, per the AP; these strikes occurred outside Russia's territorial waters. Video supplied by Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency shows explosions striking both tankers, and CBS says the ships in the footage align with publicly available images.
The drone attacks reportedly left both Kairos and Virat "critically damaged" and "taken out of service," with a Ukrainian intelligence source claiming the ships had been able to move oil worth nearly $70 million. The Gambian-flagged Kairos—which had been sailing empty from Egypt toward Russia, per the AP—later grounded off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast; Bulgaria's navy has airlifted some crew, but authorities have been unable to tow the powerless ship. The AP reports Turkey isn't pleased about where the strike occurred and cites a Foreign Ministry rep as saying Turkey is in discussion with "the relevant parties" about making sure the war doesn't spread across the Black Sea.