Ukraine Hits Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers in Black Sea, Sparking Fire and Evacuations Ukrainian naval drones targeted two sanctioned oil tankers in the Black Sea over the weekend, dealing a blow to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to evade Western sanctions on its oil exports. The strikes, claimed by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), hit the Kairos and Virat as the empty vessels headed to Russia's Novorossiysk port to load up with crude for global markets. Both ships, flagged to Gambia but owned by Chinese companies—Kairos by Shanghai-based Alafia Trading Ltd and Virat by Hong Kong's Glory Shipping HK Ltd—caught fire and sustained heavy damage, forcing crews to abandon ship. Video footage released by the SBU showed Sea Baby underwater drones racing toward the hulking tankers before massive explosions erupted, engulfing the Kairos in flames about 30 miles off Turkey's coast. All 25 crew members on the Kairos were safely evacuated by Turkish rescue boats, while the Virat's Russian crew of around 20 remained unharmed after a second hit on Saturday caused minor above-waterline damage to its side. Turkey's Transport Ministry confirmed the incidents in its exclusive economic zone, condemning the attacks as a threat to navigation and the environment. Firefighting efforts by Turkish tugs eventually doused the blaze on the Kairos, and both vessels were reported stable by Sunday. The operation marks a bold escalation in Kyiv's campaign to choke Moscow's war chest, with Ukraine urging allies to ramp up pressure on the shadow fleet—now over 600 vessels strong—that has tripled since the 2022 invasion to keep oil flowing to buyers like China and India. Both tankers were already blacklisted by the US, EU, and UK for hauling sanctioned Russian crude. Russia slammed the strikes as "terrorist acts" aimed at derailing peace talks, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accusing Kyiv of trying to manufacture "illusory victories" amid frontline setbacks. Kazakhstan, whose oil often transits the region via Russian pipelines, called the attacks "unacceptable" after a separate Ukrainian drone hit damaged a key Black Sea terminal for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. No oil was lost in the assaults, but the hits underscore Ukraine's growing naval drone prowess, even as it grapples with corruption probes and mounting pressure for territorial concessions in ongoing US-brokered negotiations. Analysts say disrupting the shadow fleet could shave billions from Russia's revenues, which have dipped 21% year-over-year despite record rerouting efforts. As the conflict enters its 1,376th day, these maritime skirmishes highlight how the war's ripples are testing global energy routes and alliances far from the trenches.