Ukrainian Naval Drones Strike Sanctioned Oil Tanker MARQUISE Near Russia’s Tuapse

Ukrainian naval drones struck the sanctioned oil tanker MARQUISE in the Black Sea, approximately 210 kilometers southeast of the Russian port city of Tuapse.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on April 29, the operation was carried out by units of the Ukrainian Navy using two unmanned surface vessels.

The tanker, sailing under the flag of Cameroon, was reportedly drifting at the time of the strike without transmitting an Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal.

“The vessel was drifting without an AIS signal and was likely awaiting loading at sea from another ship,” the General Staff said.

The strike targeted the stern section of the tanker, specifically the engine room and the propeller-rudder assembly. Ukrainian military officials stated that the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

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The MARQUISE, with a reported capacity exceeding 37,000 tonnes, is under sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Canada. According to Ukrainian authorities, the vessel had been used by Russia to transport oil products in violation of international restrictions.

AIS is a maritime tracking system used to identify vessels and monitor their position, course, and other navigational data. Ships involved in sanctions evasion have previously been documented disabling AIS to conceal movements, particularly during ship-to-ship transfers at sea.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov confirmed that Magura-class naval drones shot down two Russian Su-30SM fighter jets over the Black Sea using US-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

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