Ukraine hits Russia's 'shadow fleet' oil tanker near Tuapse, General Staff says
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Ukrainian forces have struck a Russian "shadow fleet" oil tanker sanctioned by Ukraine and other countries, Ukraine's General Staff reported on April 29.
According to the report, the tanker MARQUISE was struck by two kamikaze drones launched by a Ukrainian Navy unit.
The tanker, operating in the Black Sea, was flying under the Cameroonian flag and was unloaded, it added. The vessel's cargo capacity is over 37,000 tons.
At the time of the strike, the vessel was approximately 210 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of Russia's city of Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai, without an automatic identification system (AIS) signal, and was likely awaiting loading at sea from another vessel, the report says.
The General Staff added that the extent of the damage was being determined.
The vessel is considered part of Russia's "shadow fleet" and is operated by Lidoil DMCC (UAE), according to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) report on its War & Sanctions portal.
According to the portal, since December 2023, the tanker has been engaged in the export of Russian-origin oil and petroleum products. The vessel routinely engaged in deceptive shipping practices, including activity in the Kerch Strait and in the ports of the Russian-occupied Crimea.
The ship was sanctioned by Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Canada. It has been used by Russia to illegally transport petroleum products.
Elsewhere, Ooil facilities in Russian cities of Perm and Orsk were struck by Ukrainian drones overnight on April 29, local authorities and Telegram channels reported.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported on April 29 that its air defense intercepted 98 Ukrainian drones over the territories of the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov, and Saratov oblasts, as well as Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed the attack on an oil pumping station near Perm, later on April 29.
