An unidentified drone and vessel attacked a tanker heading to Russia, highlighting risks to Russian shadow fleet operations.
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A cargo ship flying the flag of Palau, named Elbus, was attacked by an unidentified remotely controlled sea vehicle and a drone while heading towards Russia. The attack targeted the tanker’s propulsion system, but none of the 25 crew members were injured; however, the tanker had to deviate from its planned route near Turkey. Despite sustaining damage, the ship’s cargo tanks remained undamaged, preventing any environmental pollution. While the origin of the attacking vessel and drone was not identified, there has been an increase in attacks on Russian energy carriers sailing in the Black Sea since the autumn of 2025, often attributed to Ukrainian drones. Research indicates that members of Russia’s shadow fleet are clearly linked to Russia but use other countries’ flags to circumvent sanctions; in the first nine months of 2025, these ships transported about 11 million tons of oil worth 4.7 billion euros under foreign flags. The shadow fleet caused significant damage, transporting 44 percent of Russian crude oil exports in October 2025. Due to the growing attacks in the Black Sea, Turkish, Bulgarian, and Romanian authorities coordinated efforts, with President Erdogan warning that repeated attacks on commercial vessels are unacceptable and threaten escalation.
