Ukraine Strikes Two Russian Oil Tankers Near Novorossiysk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that military forces successfully struck two "shadow fleet" oil tankers near the entrance to Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. This action underscores Kyiv's ongoing strategy to disrupt Moscow's energy network.

"Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against the Russian shadow oil fleet, they hit two such vessels in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers were actively used for transporting oil– not anymore," Zelenskyy stated on the Telegram messaging app. He added, "Ukraine's long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land."

This development follows a report from the Russian defence ministry claiming its air defence systems intercepted 334 Ukrainian drones overnight across approximately 15 regions, including areas near Moscow and the Leningrad region. No casualties were reported from these interceptions. These attacks are indicative of a broader escalation in drone warfare, with Ukraine increasingly conducting strikes deep within Russian territory.

**Oil Infrastructure Repeatedly Targeted**

In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted key Russian energy sites. The oil refinery and export terminal in Tuapse, a Black Sea town situated about 450 kilometers from the front line, has been attacked four times in just over two weeks, resulting in fires, evacuations, and large plumes of smoke. In a video shared after the third attack on April 18, local governor Veniamin Kondratyev showed an emergency official describing how boiling oil products had spilled onto streets, damaging vehicles.

Ukraine also claimed to have struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Perm region—over 1,500 kilometers away—on two consecutive days. While Russian media reported the incident, regional governor Dmitry Makhonin only confirmed drone hits on industrial facilities. Further north, Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, one of Russia’s largest oil and gas export terminals, was hit three times in a single week in late March. This site is located more than 800 kilometers from Ukraine. Weeks later, regional governor Alexander Drozdenko characterized the area around Saint Petersburg as a "front-line region" due to perceived aerial threats.

Ukraine asserts that these strikes are inflicting significant economic losses. Zelenskyy stated on Friday that Russia has incurred at least $7 billion in losses since the beginning of the year due to attacks on its oil sector, noting a decline in exports from key ports such as Ust-Luga and Primorsk. Experts suggest that drone strikes have also hampered refining capacity, while international sanctions complicate efforts to replace damaged equipment. However, the overall economic impact remains uncertain, as Russia continues to benefit from rising global oil prices. According to data analyzed by the International Energy Agency, Russian crude and oil product exports increased by 320,000 barrels per day in March, reaching 7.1 million barrels, with revenues nearly doubling from $9.7 billion to $19 billion.

**Casualties Reported in Ukraine**

Meanwhile, Russian strikes in southern Ukraine have resulted in one fatality and four injuries, according to officials on Sunday. In Kherson, a Russian drone struck a private company vehicle, killing a man and wounding four people, including a 63-year-old woman. The previous day, two people were killed when a Russian drone hit a minibus in the same city, as reported by local officials.

Both sides have substantially increased their use of drone warfare in recent months. Russia has conducted large-scale drone attacks on Ukraine almost nightly since its 2022 invasion, while Kyiv has intensified retaliatory strikes. Data analyzed by AFP indicates that Russia deployed a record 6,583 long-range drones in April, surpassing the previous high recorded in March. In late March alone, Russia reported destroying 389 Ukrainian drones in a single day.

Despite ongoing diplomatic initiatives, progress toward ending the conflict has been minimal. Russia has proposed a ceasefire to coincide with its World War II victory celebrations on May 9, a proposal that Ukraine is reportedly still reviewing.