The recent strike on the Oman-flagged tanker Qendil (IMO: 9310525), claimed by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), marks an unprecedented extension of Ukraine's drone campaign targeting vessels associated with Russia's shadow fleet.
According to SBU sources, the attack occurred in neutral waters of the eastern Mediterranean, south-west of Crete or off the Libyan coast, using long-range aerial drones in a multi-stage operation more than 2,000 km from Ukrainian territory.
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The Qendil, an Aframax tanker built in 2006, was empty and en route from an Indian port to Russia's Ust-Luga in the Baltic Sea at the time of the strike. Ukrainian officials state that the vessel sustained critical damage, rendering it inoperable, with no cargo on board and thus no environmental risk from spills. Video footage released by Ukrainian sources shows multiple explosions on the vessel, though independent verification is ongoing.
This incident is the first confirmed Ukrainian strike on a maritime target in the Mediterranean since the war began four years ago. It follows a series of recent attacks on similar shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, reflecting Kyiv's escalating efforts to disrupt Russian oil exports that allegedly fund the war, despite Western sanctions.
At present, this remains an isolated event with no reported broader impact on commercial shipping lanes or other vessels. There is no immediate indication of heightened risk to general maritime traffic in the Mediterranean. However, if such long-range actions continue or provoke retaliation, potentially drawing in third-party flags or routes, they could introduce greater uncertainty, elevate war risk premiums, and destabilize safe passage in the region.
In the Black Sea, volatility has already intensified in 2025, with Ukraine's strikes on Russian-linked tankers, including notable incidents in late November targeting the Kairos and Virat within Turkey's Exclusive Economic Zone, leading to Turkish interventions for firefighting and crew rescue, Russian countermeasures, fluctuating insurance rates, and occasional route disruptions.
We are closely monitoring the situation. Objective and balanced coverage of these developments can help highlight the importance of restraint from all parties in preserving the principles of freedom of navigation.
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