The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has released a video showing a Sea Baby maritime drone striking the Blue tanker, which was in the area of occupied Yalta. The vessel is part of the so-called “shadow fleet” of the aggressor country, russia.
This is evidenced by a post on the SSU’s official Facebook page.
The strike on the Blue tanker took place on the morning of Tuesday, July 8. A Ukrainian maritime drone struck the vessel in the stern, where the propulsion systems are located. As a result of the strike, the stern sustained significant damage.
The SSU noted that the Blue tanker was in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone. The agency also emphasized that, under international law as well as the laws and customs of war, such vessels are legitimate military targets.
The tanker is subject to sanctions imposed by Ukraine, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union for transporting oil in circumvention of international sanctions.
In a video released by the SSU, it can be seen that the occupiers attempted to strike the Ukrainian maritime drone, specifically by dropping aerial bombs on it. Despite enemy fire, the drone successfully reached the tanker and struck it.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, for the past three days, the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been attacking russian vessels in the waters of the Sea of Azov. Some of these vessels are attempting to deliver fuel to occupied Crimea.
In total, Ukrainian drones have struck 21 vessels over the past three days. On the night of July 8, nine tankers were hit. On the night of July 6–7, drones struck six tankers, a dry cargo ship, and a ferry. Two more tankers were attacked on July 6.
As a reminder, Reuters reported that on July 7, a drone attacked a tanker chartered by the American company Chevron near Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Krai, russia).
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