‘Ukraine Could Be Cut Off From The Sea’: Putin Warns After Drone Attacks Devastate Russian Tankers In Black Sea

Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens Ukraine with a naval blockade after Kyiv’s underwater drones severely damage Russian tankers in the Black Sea, signalling an escalation in maritime tensions.

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine that it could be “cut off from the sea” following Kyiv’s recent underwater drone strikes on two of Russia’s tankers in the Black Sea.

Speaking to the press, he described the Ukrainian attacks as “piracy” and suggested that Moscow may take “retaliatory measures” against vessels from countries that are supporting Kyiv’s actions.

“Ukrainian attacks on tankers in the Black Sea are piracy. They targeted ships not even in neutral waters, but in the special economic zone of another state. That is outright piracy,” he said, according to TASS, Russia’s state news agency.

Putin added that Russia would intensify strikes on Ukrainian ports and any ships attempting to enter them, signalling a potential escalation in the Black Sea.

The incidents follow a coordinated operation last Friday and Saturday in which Ukrainian underwater drones struck two Russian tankers.

A Ukrainian security source confirmed that the Sea Baby maritime drones were used in a joint operation involving the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the navy.

“Both tankers suffered critical damage and are effectively out of commission. This will deal a significant blow to Russian oil transportation,” the source said.

Russia relies on hundreds of tankers, many sailing under flags of convenience, to transport oil to international buyers, circumventing Western sanctions, CNN reports.

One of the vessels, the Gambian-flagged tanker Virat, was hit for a second time on Saturday after already sustaining damage the previous day, according to Turkey’s Transport Ministry.

“There has been no request from the crew to abandon the ship,” the ministry added, stating that a firefighting tugboat had been dispatched to the site. At the time, Virat’s exact destination was unclear, though shipping data suggested it was waiting for instructions in the Black Sea.

The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union under different names.

A second tanker, the Gambian-flagged Kairos, which carries Russian crude, was severely damaged in a separate explosion on Friday in another part of the Black Sea. All 25 crew members were safely evacuated. Neither vessel was operating within Turkish territorial waters at the time of the attacks.

These strikes mark one of the most significant disruptions to Russia’s maritime oil shipments in recent months, heightening tensions in the Black Sea and raising questions about how Moscow will respond to Kyiv’s growing maritime capabilities.