Ukraine Strikes Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Mediterranean

Latest Developments

First Claimed Strike in International Waters: Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service claimed that Ukrainian drones struck and critically damaged a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on December 19, more than 1,250 miles from Ukrainian territory. The strike marks the first time Ukraine has admitted to targeting a shadow fleet tanker outside the Black Sea. The ship, identified as the Omani-flagged Qendil, was empty and sailing toward the Russian port of Ust-Luga after reportedly offloading oil in India on December 1. Russia uses shadow fleet tankers to evade sanctions on its energy products, thereby funding its war effort.
Putin Maintains Demands: Speaking at his annual end-of-year press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation for the strike. “This is done, among other things, with a pragmatic goal — to increase insurance premiums,” he said. “But this will never lead to the expected result, will not disrupt supplies, and, in the end, will only create an additional threat. A response from our country will follow.” In other statements, Putin demonstrated that he has not moved from his maximalist demands with regard to ending the war, which he continued to accuse the West of instigating. Putin said he maintains his demands that Ukraine cede territory, adopt permanent neutrality, and “undergo demilitarization and denazification.”
Europe Agrees on Funds for Ukraine: The European Union (EU) agreed to provide Ukraine with a $105 billion loan through 2027 while effectively shelving a controversial proposal to tap frozen Russian Central Bank assets held in Europe. The EU decision to issue the interest-free loan, which Kyiv will have to repay only in the unlikely event Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine, comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned European leaders that Ukraine would be forced to curtail its military budget within months without additional funds. “For us, this is a reinforcement,” Zelenskyy stated after the agreement. “It is a signal to the Russians that there is no point for them to continue the war because we have financial support, and therefore, we will not collapse on the front line. We will support our army and our people.”

FDD Expert Response

“Similar to President Donald Trump in the case of Venezuela, President Zelenskyy looks to pressure Russia by cutting off the role of shadow fleet ships exporting fossil fuels. Hopefully, Trump will realize that if he wants a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he may need to expand his counter-shadow fleet efforts to include those supporting illegal Russian shipments.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“Ukraine just proved that it can hunt down tankers far from its shores. Every barrel of Kremlin oil sold to unscrupulous buyers pays for Russian war crimes against Ukrainian cities and civilians. Kyiv has a legitimate right to stop this energy network. Its latest strike puts every country and company still bankrolling Putin’s war machine on notice. The old game of laundering Russian crude is over.” — Peter Doran, Adjunct Senior Fellow

“Ukraine is on the front lines fighting for Europe and the United States against the marauding Russian bear, which has ambitions far beyond Ukraine. Yet Washington and some European leaders don’t seem to realize the stakes and foolishly believe helping Kyiv is an optional charity rather than an urgent strategic necessity. Washington is financially absent and diplomatically unhelpful, leaving a gaping hole in support for Ukraine that Europe appears unable or unwilling to fill.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power