President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday, May 3, that Ukrainian forces successfully struck two vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow oil fleet in the waters near the port of Novorossiysk.
The president released video footage showing a maritime drone approaching a Russian tanker and confirmed that these vessels, which were actively used to transport oil, are now out of commission.
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Zelensky expressed gratitude to Chief of the General Staff Anatoliy Hnatov, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) counterintelligence officers, and the Ukrainian Navy for the operation.
“Ukrainian long-range capabilities will be comprehensively developed—at sea, in the sky, and on the land,” the president stated.
This operation marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s campaign against the Russian energy sector. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted critical export hubs, including the Novorossiysk oil terminal and Baltic Sea ports.
These strikes aim to disrupt Russia’s oil export revenue, a primary funding source for its war effort. Previous attacks in April forced major facilities, such as the Tuapse and Novokuibyshevsk refineries, to halt operations due to damage to port infrastructure and storage facilities.
Despite international concerns regarding global energy prices, Ukrainian officials maintain that targeting these terminals strengthens Kyiv’s strategic position.
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