Moscow: “decisive steps” to cut off Ukraine’s remaining access to the sea following a series of underwater drone attacks that crippled two tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea. His comments mark one of the sharpest escalations in rhetoric since Kyiv began targeting Russian maritime logistics.
Speaking at a briefing in Moscow, Putin described the Ukrainian drone operations as “outright piracy,” accusing Kyiv of attacking civilian oil carriers operating outside Ukrainian waters. He warned that Russia would now consider action not only against Ukraine but also against vessels belonging to countries that “facilitate, support, or tolerate such hostile actions.”
“The attacks on our tankers—conducted in the economic zone of another state—are piracy by all definitions,” Putin said, adding that Russia is preparing a framework for “retaliatory measures that may include targeting ships assisting Ukraine’s military capabilities.”
The Ukrainian strike operation, carried out last week, reportedly involved advanced Sea Baby underwater drones operated jointly by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy. According to a senior Ukrainian security official, both tankers sustained “critical structural damage,” disrupting Russian oil movement in the region. “Each hit reduces Russia’s ability to bypass sanctions,” the official said.
One of the targeted carriers, the Virat, currently flying a Gambian flag, was hit twice within 24 hours. Turkey’s Ministry of Transport confirmed the vessel caught fire but said the crew did not request evacuation. A firefighting vessel was dispatched while the tanker drifted near the Black Sea, awaiting further orders.
The Virat has a complicated history: the ship has sailed under multiple identities and is under U.S., U.K., and EU sanctions for aiding Russia’s oil transport network. Western intelligence agencies have long accused Moscow of using a large fleet of such tankers to mask oil flows, evade sanctions, and stabilize revenue streams.
Following the attacks, Putin signaled that Russia would expand its campaign against Ukrainian port infrastructure and potentially restrict maritime corridors used by Kyiv for grain exports and military logistics. Analysts say such a move could dramatically escalate tensions in the Black Sea zone, already one of the world’s most militarized waters.
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