KYIV — Ukrainian naval drones have struck two oil tankers operating as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea, in what appears to be a sharp escalation aimed at disrupting Moscow’s wartime oil revenues, Ukrainian officials said.

Verified footage shows waterborne Sea Baby drones racing through waves before detonating against the vessels, sending fireballs and thick smoke into the air.

The tankers — identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat, both flagged to the Gambia — were hit off Türkiye’s coast on Friday.

The Virat was reportedly struck a second time on Saturday. There were no reported casualties.

The shadow fleet consists of hundreds of older tankers used by Russia to circumvent Western sanctions imposed after 2022. Many operate with opaque ownership structures and insurance arrangements.

The Kairos was struck in the southwestern Black Sea, while the Virat was hit farther east. Both vessels are listed as sanction-designated ships, according to London Stock Exchange data.

Türkiye’s coast guard released footage showing two of its vessels attempting to extinguish the fire engulfing the Kairos. Ankara said it had been assisting the ships after the attacks.

The strikes signal Ukraine’s growing willingness to target Russian oil infrastructure and tanker operations directly — not only port facilities but ships carrying crude that remains central to financing Moscow’s war.

Separately, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium suspended loadings at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after unmanned boats reportedly caused significant damage to a mooring point overnight.

The CPC, which transports oil from Kazakhstan, is jointly owned by Russia, Kazakhstan and major international firms including Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell.

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Aibek Smadiyarov condemned the attack, describing it as the third such incident and warning it had harmed bilateral relations with Kyiv. He urged Ukraine to take “concrete measures” to prevent future strikes.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a delegation led by top security official Rustem Umerov was en route to the United States to continue negotiations on a potential agreement to end the war. Umerov is taking over from former chief negotiator Andriy Yermak, who resigned after anti-corruption investigators searched his apartment on Friday.

Talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials are expected to resume Sunday in Florida, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled for discussions in Moscow next week. — BBC