The armed forces of Ukraine struck on Wednesday morning, in the Black Sea, a tanker associated with the “shadow fleet” used by Russia to circumvent international sanctions, according to a statement from the Ukrainian General Staff.
The targeted ship, identified as FINA A, is listed on the sanctions imposed by the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, and Ukraine, indicating its involvement in the transportation of Russian oil outside the framework regulated by Western restrictions, according to Agerpres.
Regarding the extent of the damage caused by the attack, the authorities in Kiev specify that it is currently being assessed, without providing, for now, details about possible victims or the exact condition of the ship.
The operation is part of a broader series of actions undertaken by Ukraine in recent months, targeting oil tankers used by Russia to maintain its crude oil exports, in the context of international sanctions attempting to limit Moscow’s revenues from the energy sector.
The so-called “shadow fleet” of Russia includes old or hard-to-track ships, often operated through intermediaries or obscure companies, and is used to transport oil outside of regulated commercial circuits. Such practices allow Russia to partially evade the restrictions imposed by Western countries following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.