Ukrainian forces strike two Russian shadow fleet ships

· RTE.ie

Ukrainian forces have struck two shadow fleet tankers in waters at the entrance to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against Russia's shadow oil fleet – two such vessels were struck in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers had been actively used to transport oil – not anymore," Mr Zelensky said on Telegram.

"Ukraine's long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land," he said.

Ukrainian drones also attacked Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk, temporarily setting it on fire, local governor Alexander Drozdenko said on Telegram, as Ukraine launched a wave of strikes on targets across the country.

Mr Drozdenko said more than 60 drones were downed overnight over Russia's northwestern Leningrad region.

There was no oil spill following the attack on Primorsk, a major oil exporting outlet, and the fire was extinguished, he added.

Primorsk, one of Russia's largest export gateways, has capacity to handle one million barrels per day of oil supply.

It has been hit multiple times in recent months as Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and other targets, as US-brokered talks to end the Ukraine war have stalled.

Other Russian regions also reported drone attacks yesterday and today.

Moscow regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said evening that a 77-year-old man had died in a village following a drone strike.

Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of the city of Moscow, said four drones were downed on their way to the Russian capital.

Vasily Anokhin, the governor of the western Smolensk region, said three people, including a child, were injured on Sunday after a drone attacked an apartment block there.

Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes on Ukraine killed three people across the country.

Russian attacks on Ukraine's southern Odesa region, home to key export terminals, killed two people, including a truck driver at a port, regional governor Oleg Kiper said on social media.


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"Enemy drones hit three residential buildings, and two more were damaged.... Facilities and equipment for the port infrastructure were also damaged," he said.

The emergency services posted photos of firefighters tackling a blaze after the attacks.

Russian strikes on the frontline region of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, also killed one person, officials there said.

Russia fired 268 drones and one ballistic missile in the overnight attack, the Ukrainian air force said.

Tens of thousands have been killed in the four-year war, unleashed by Russia's February 2022 invasion.