Ukraine has hit another vessel from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” marking the third such attack as Kyiv intensifies efforts to disrupt Moscow’s maritime oil logistics in the Black Sea.
Based on preliminary reporting, the Comoros-flagged tanker Dashan was struck by a Ukrainian sea drone while sailing in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone. The vessel was en route to Russia’s Novorossiysk oil terminal. Video footage circulating on Ukrainian and international channels shows the tanker unladen at the moment of impact, suggesting it was not carrying cargo during the strike.
The incident represents a continued escalation in Ukraine’s strategy to target Russia’s maritime infrastructure and the opaque fleet of foreign-flagged tankers used to bypass sanctions and sustain oil exports. Over the past year, Ukraine has increasingly turned to naval drones—an area where Kyiv has pioneered new technologies—to push Russian military and commercial activity farther from its coast.
Moscow has not yet issued a detailed response regarding the extent of the damage or any possible casualties aboard the Dashan. Kyiv has also not formally commented on the strike, in keeping with its policy of limited public disclosure on ongoing military operations.
The attack underscores the ongoing volatility in the Black Sea, where Ukrainian forces are attempting to degrade Russia’s naval dominance and complicate the Kremlin’s ability to use commercial routes to fund its war effort.
