Ukrainian sea drones reportedly hit another Russian shadow fleet vessel in Black Sea

Ukraine has reportedly struck another oil tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea on Wednesday with its naval drones, causing "critical damage," authorities said.

According to Ukraine’s security service SBU, the Comoros-flagged Dashan tanker was travelling at maximum speed with its transponder switched off in Ukraine's exclusive economic zone off the coast of Crimea towards the Novorossiysk port terminal in Russia.

Dashan has been sanctioned by the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland for its role in transporting Russian oil and for operating with its vessel identification systems disabled.

The SBU said the tanker had sustained "critical damage," according to Ukrainian media outlets. The operation was reportedly carried out by the SBU's 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence and the Ukrainian Navy.

The Kremlin-affiliated Telegram channels claimed that three Ukrainian sea drones attacked the tanker while a British RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft was allegedly operating in the western part of the Black Sea during the attack.

Ukrainian outlets also reported on the British aircraft’s presence.

According to SBU estimates, the value of such a tanker is approximately €25 million, and in a single voyage it transported oil products valued at over €50 million.

Ukrainian observers note that the main route of oil exports by the Russian shadow fleet passes through the Baltic Sea.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened that Moscow could "cut Ukraine off from the sea."

Over the past few years, Kyiv has managed to push Russia’s Black Sea fleet off annexed Crimea and away from coastal zones Moscow used to control.

Due to Ukraine’s military campaign and wide use of sea drones, Russia has moved a significant part of its Black Sea fleet from Sevastopol in Crimea to Novorossiysk and other ports in Russia.

Russia's shadow fleet consists of ageing tankers, often registered under flags of convenience in countries like Comoros or Panama, used to circumvent Western sanctions by transporting Russian oil with transponders switched off to avoid detection.