Russia’s Shadow Fleet Is Turning Into a Floating Fortress Against Ukrainian Drones

Russian shadow fleet oil tankers are increasingly being equipped with protective netting, metal structures, and rubber tires to shield against drone strikes during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At least 60 tankers outfitted with these anti-drone defense measures have passed through the Bosphorus Strait since August, based on photographic evidence provided by Istanbul-based maritime analyst Yörük Işık and analyzed by The Wall Street Journal.

Almost all of these vessels are currently under sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western nations due to their transport of Russian crude oil.

Işık, who heads the Bosphorus Observer consulting company and photographed the ships, noted that protective mesh is being installed in a rushed manner to safeguard the most vulnerable parts of the vessels, particularly their engines, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to protective netting, crews are hanging rubber tires along the decks around the engine and steering areas to prevent incoming drones from striking and disabling the ships.

The targeted strikes on tankers form part of a broader campaign by Ukraine to exert economic pressure on Russia. To limit Moscow's ability to fund the war, Ukrainian forces are also launching strikes against oil refineries and data processing centers, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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Furthermore, the shadow fleet represents a primary vulnerability within Russia's financial system, as aging tankers operating outside international insurance and shipping regulations rely heavily on insurance and financial backing from state-controlled Russian banks.

"This is another vivid proof that the Russian fleet has lost control in the Black Sea. For Russia, earning foreign currency is under great threat," Işık noted.

Previously, Ukrainian forces launched an overnight strike on a Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, hitting air defense positions, port berths, and other naval infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Novorossiysk serves as Russia’s last major naval stronghold in the Black Sea and is located more than 300 kilometers from the frontline. According to him, the operation involved Palianytsia rocket drones, Neptune missiles, and maritime unmanned systems.

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