Ukrainian forces have destroyed 10 additional tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in overnight strikes near Crimea, according to reports from Nasha Niva.
The attacks mark a significant escalation in Kyiv’s campaign to disrupt Russian fuel exports, following the destruction of eight vessels in the same region just days earlier.
The strikes target vessels transporting fuel, further constraining the capacity of Russia’s opaque shipping network to move crude and refined products to global markets.
Brent crude prices climbed in the session as traders priced in the growing risk to Russian export flows.
The repeated targeting of shadow fleet assets is forcing insurers and charterers to reassess exposure to Black Sea routes, potentially driving up freight rates and widening the discount on Russian crude.
With tanker traffic already slowing in the Strait of Hormuz due to separate geopolitical tensions, the cumulative effect on global shipping capacity is becoming a material factor in energy pricing.