Skip to content

Ukraine says it struck two Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tankers near Novorossiysk

newsMay 3, 2026151,204

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck two Russian "shadow fleet" oil tankers near the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk, leaving both vessels disabled. Zelenskyy said the tankers were actively used to transport Russian oil and that the operation involved Ukraine's Navy and the SBU under Chief of General Staff Hnatov. The strikes hit shadow‑fleet ships that ferry sanctioned Russian oil from a key Black Sea export hub. The action further degrades Russia's maritime oil logistics and raises risks for insurance, shipping operations and naval escalation in the Black Sea.

3 sources