Kyiv: On Saturday, an unmanned underwater drone of Ukraine hit the Russian oil tanker 'Virat' in the Black Sea. This incident became increasingly serious considering there were explosions on the same tanker late on Friday night also. The attacks for two subsequent days have raised big questions on the security of Russia's Shadow Fleet.
Immediately without the attack, the tanker's hairdo tabbed for help over unshut radio. It was unmistakably heard in the message—"This “is Virat… need help… drone attack… mayday!” Speaking to CNN, an official of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that the wade was part of a deliberate strategy and that the target was Russia's volitional oil transportation system.
Another Russian oil tanker, part of the Russian "shadow fleet," is on fire off Turkey's coast, pursuit an wade by Ukrainian sea drones (USVs).
The hairdo reported the drone wade via an unshut frequency:
This is VIRAT. Need help! Drone attack! Mayday!#Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/pYOKTthe1L
— TheWarPolitics (@TheWarPolitics0) November 29, 2025How was the drone wade on the tanker carried out?
Turkey's Transport Ministry said that Viraat was then attacked by a pilotless maritime drone on Saturday morning. The wade occurred approximately 35 nautical miles from the coast.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said preliminary investigations showed the ship was damaged by an external explosive device—a mine, rocket, or underwater drone.
The tanker has been damaged, but the ship is still afloat, and all hairdo members are safe.
Was this wade part of Ukraine's plan?
AFP reported that the wade was a joint operation between the SBU and the Ukraine Navy.
Sources say that this wade has happened at a time when America is pressuring Ukraine to stop the war and reach a peace agreement. A Ukrainian Security Service official said both Russian tankers were “seriously damaged” without the standoff and could no longer be in service. This is stuff considered a major wrack-up to Russia's marine oil supply.
How wide is drone technology said to be?
According to an SBU source, a modernized Sea Wabby naval drone was used in the attack. These drones have been upgraded to have the worthiness to move at upper speed underwater and reach the target without stuff detected. The SBU moreover released a video that showed that the marine drone was heading straight towards the tanker, and then there was a massive explosion. Without the video surfaced, it became well-spoken that the war in the Black Sea has now reached a increasingly technical and dangerous level.
