Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil tanker in Russia's Rostov-on-Don, local officials claim
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect claims made by Rostov Oblast Governor Yuri Slyusar suggesting that a "cargo ship" was struck in the attack. The Kyiv Independent is not able to immediately verify the type of vessel involved.
Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil tanker in the Port of Rostov overnight on Dec. 18, local officials in Russia's Rostov Oblast reported.
Photos and videos posted to social media and filmed by local residents appear to show large flames emanating from the direction of the port.
Rostov-on-Don Mayor Alexander Skryabin reported on Telegram that emergency crews are extinguishing a fire on tanker that had been struck by Ukrainian drones overnight. Skryabin further claimed that three people were killed an more injured a result of the strike.
Yuri Slyusar, the governor of Rostov Oblast, corroborated reports of the strike, claimed that an unspecified "vessel" had been damaged.
Skryabin reported that no petroleum products were spilled into the waters.
Later in the night, Slyusar appeared to dispute reports of a oil tanker being targeted, claiming instead that a "cargo ship" had been struck in the attack.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims made by Russian officials nor the type of vessel involved in the strike.
Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the reported strike.
The reported strike follows a series of Ukrainian operations targeting Russian oil infrastructure and Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet" — referring to hundreds of older, often uninsured or poorly maintained tankers used for the transport of Russian oil products under the flags of other countries.
On Dec. 10, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service told the Kyiv Independent that a Sea Baby naval drones struck the Dashan oil tanker, resulting in "critical damage" to the vessel.
On Nov. 28, Sea Baby drones struck the sanctioned Russian oil tankers Kairos and Virat in the Black Sea off Turkey’s coast, disabling vessels that a source in the SBU said were tied to the Kremlin’s shadow fleet.
Ukraine routinely launches deep strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia, primarily relying on domestically developed drones.
Kyiv continues to escalate its campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure, a key source of Moscow's revenues helping to fuel its all-out invasion of Ukraine.
