The Ukrainian Navy have carried out a strike against a sanctioned oil tanker operating in the Black Sea, marking another expansion of Ukraine's use of maritime drones against targets linked to russia's logistics network. The attack took place on the morning of April 29 and was confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to official information, the target was the Marquise tanker, sailing under the flag of Cameroon. The vessel, with a deadweight of over 37,000 tons, was reportedly drifting without cargo approximately 210 kilometers southeast of the russian port city of Tuapse.
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Notably, the tanker had its Automatic Identification System switched off at the time, a common practice associated with attempts to conceal maritime activity. This suggests the vessel may have been engaged in covert operations, potentially linked to the transport of sanctioned oil products.
The tanker was likely waiting offshore to be loaded via ship-to-ship transfer, a method frequently used to bypass international sanctions. Such operations allow oil to be moved discreetly and reflagged or rerouted without formal tracking.
The strike was carried out using two unmanned surface vessels, which hit the tanker in the stern section. The impact area included the propulsion and steering systems, as well as the engine room, critical components necessary for the vessel's mobility and operation.
The Marquise tanker has been under sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Canada. The vessel had been used by russia to facilitate the illegal transportation of petroleum products, making it a legitimate target within the broader effort to disrupt sanction evasion schemes.
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