Ukraine intensifies maritime strikes with historic submarine and tanker attacks

Thursday 18 December 2025 - 08:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Ukraine intensifies maritime strikes with historic submarine and tanker attacks

Ukraine has carried out two high-impact drone operations against Russian maritime assets, marking a bold escalation in its use of unmanned technology to challenge Moscow’s control in the Black Sea. The attacks targeted a tanker in Rostov-on-Don and a submarine docked in Novorossiysk, signaling a strategic shift in Kyiv’s military campaign.

Targeting a tanker in Rostov-on-Don

The first incident occurred when Ukrainian drones struck a tanker moored in the port of Rostov-on-Don, igniting a fire and causing casualties. Local authorities confirmed both fatalities and injuries, while emergency responders managed to prevent an oil spill. The explosion also damaged nearby infrastructure, including a high-rise under construction and two residential properties. Regional officials reported that firefighting and rescue efforts continued for several hours after the attack.

A historic underwater drone operation

Days earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service claimed responsibility for what it described as the first underwater drone strike in military history. Using “Sub Sea Baby” unmanned underwater vehicles, Ukrainian forces allegedly hit a Russian Kilo-class submarine at the Novorossiysk naval base. The submarine, equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, sustained what Kyiv called “critical damage.”
Satellite imagery appeared to corroborate these claims, showing deformation at the pier and a visible crater near the docking site, suggesting severe structural impact. Russia’s Ministry of Defense denied the allegations, asserting that neither the submarine nor any other fleet units were affected.

Expanding Ukraine’s drone warfare strategy

These operations underline Ukraine’s escalating drone campaign, which has already damaged or sunk more than twenty Russian vessels since 2022. The pressure has forced Moscow to reposition much of its Black Sea Fleet from the occupied Crimean port of Sevastopol to Novorossiysk.

In October, Ukraine revealed advanced Sea Baby drones capable of traveling over 1,500 kilometers and carrying up to two tons of explosives. The new underwater variant, developed by the Security Service, can navigate harbor defenses undetected, allowing it to strike deep inside fortified zones.

Beyond naval warfare, Ukraine has intensified strikes on oil tankers associated with what Western officials call Russia’s “shadow fleet,” aiming to disrupt energy shipments that finance Moscow’s war effort despite international sanctions. Defense analysts view this drone expansion as evidence of Kyiv’s determination to offset conventional power imbalances through innovation and precision technology.