(KYIV) – Ukrainian security agencies have confirmed that a tanker linked to Russia’s so called shadow fleet was struck in the Black Sea on 10 December. According to sources cited by UNN, the Sea Baby naval drones deployed by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy hit the Dashan oil tanker while it was travelling through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone.
The tanker was flying the flag of the Comoros. It was heading in the direction of the Novorossiysk port terminal and was reported to be travelling at high speed with its identification system switched off. Ukrainian officials described this as a high risk shipping practice which had already drawn international scrutiny.
The operation was conducted jointly by the 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy. Video material shared from the scene shows explosions in the stern of the vessel. Early assessments suggest the tanker suffered major damage and was likely disabled.
Sources familiar with the operation stated that the Dashan is estimated to have a market value of about 30 million US Dollars. The cargo on board was reported to consist of oil products valued at around 60 million US Dollars for a single journey.
A summary of the vessel’s estimated value is provided below:
| Item | Estimated Value (USD) |
|---|---|
| Tanker (Dashan) | 30 million |
| Oil cargo per trip | 60 million |
The tanker has been under sanctions from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland. These restrictions were imposed due to its involvement in transporting Russian raw materials and for sailing with its identification system switched off, which regulators classify as high risk behaviour.
Officials within Ukraine’s Security Service said the action formed part of continuing efforts to reduce oil revenue flowing to the Russian budget. They also noted that this is the third tanker linked to the shadow fleet to be disabled in the past two weeks.
Earlier drone operations targeted two other sanctioned tankers, the KAIRO and the VIRAT, which were also linked to shipments designed to circumvent international sanctions on the Russian dictator’s administration. According to Ukrainian officials, both vessels had the capacity to transport oil products worth nearly 70 million US Dollars.
