Mediterranean Sea

EU forces board suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker – Kallas

European Union naval forces stopped a tanker on Aug. 30, believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, announced on X.

31 August, 06:17 PM

EU intercepts Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean

European forces deployed in the Mediterranean Sea under Operation IRINI have intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet tanker on July 20, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on July 22.

22 July, 07:58 PM

Ukraine apologizes to Greece over sea drone found near Lefkada

Ukraine has apologized to Greece over an incident involving a sea drone found near the Greek island of Lefkada, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said in a post on X on June 5.

6 June, 01:23 PM

Turkey to cut Russian oil imports to 18-month low

Turkey will cut imports of Russian Urals crude from Baltic and Black Sea ports in May to the lowest level in nearly 18 months, Reuters reported on May 27, citing data from LSEG, Kpler, and industry traders.

28 May, 02:32 AM

Greece demands explanation from Ukraine over sea drone near Lefkada

Nikos Dendias said Ukraine must provide official explanations and an apology after a sea drone was discovered near the Greek island of Lefkada, CNN reported on May 21.

21 May, 04:42 PM

Greece suspects more Ukrainian naval drones lurking nearby

Greek authorities have concluded that the naval drone found off Greece’s coast was not alone and was intended to be part of a broader Ukrainian operation against Russian shipping, Greek outlet Kathimerini reported on May 18, citing sources.

18 May, 07:57 PM

Ukrainian naval drone veered off course and ended up in Ionian Sea, Greece concludes

Greek investigators think that an armed naval drone found last week on the Ionian island of Lefkada likely veered off course because of a technical malfunction, Reuters reported on May 15.

16 May, 01:27 AM

Greece presses Kyiv after suspected Ukrainian drone found near Lefkada

Greece has stepped up diplomatic pressure on Kyiv after an unidentified maritime drone was found near the island of Lefkada last week, Ekathimerini reported.

14 May, 06:21 PM

Russia likely destroyed Ursa Major wreck in western Mediterranean — report

After Russian ship Ursa Major, suspected of transporting submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea, sank in western Mediterranean in late 2024, its wreck was likely destroyed by the Russian navy, CNN reported on May 12.

13 May, 02:23 AM

Kyiv denies knowledge of naval drone found in Greece

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has no information to suggest that a naval drone recently found in Greece was launched by the Ukrainian military, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told Hromadske on May 12.

13 May, 12:04 AM

Russian LNG tanker Arctic-Metagaz drifts in Mediterranean with explosion risk

A sanctioned Russian tanker, Arctic-Metagaz, loaded with liquefied natural gas, is drifting dangerously in the Mediterranean Sea, with nearby vessels warned to keep clear over explosion risks, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Apr. 5.

5 April, 01:38 PM

Ukraine’s military presence in Libya threatens Russian ‘shadow fleet’

Ukrainian soldiers have likely struck two Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tankers in the Mediterranean from bases in Libya, French broadcaster Radio France Internationale (RFI) wrote on April 2.

4 April, 12:47 AM

Spain sends frigate to Cyprus amid Iran tensions

Spain’s Defense Ministry has deployed the frigate Cristóbal Colón to Cyprus to show commitment to EU defense and protect the bloc’s eastern border amid the Iran conflict, EL PAÍS reported on March 5.

5 March, 04:55 PM

Analysis: 40-meter hole visible in Russian LNG tanker after drone strike

Arctic Metagaz, the Russian “shadow fleet” LNG tanker drifting in the Mediterranean Sea, sustained devastating damage to its hull after a presumed Ukrainian naval drone strike on March 3, Defense Express reported on March 4.

5 March, 12:48 AM

Russian LNG tanker on fire after likely drone strike in Mediterranean Sea

Arctic Metagaz, a Russian LNG tanker believed to be part of the so-called “shadow fleet,” has caught fire, maritime news outlet gCaptain reported on March 3.

3 March, 11:57 PM

Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker adrift in Mediterranean

Targeted by EU and UK sanctions for transporting Russian oil, tanker vessel Progress appears to be drifting off the coast of Algeria in the Mediterranean Sea, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23.

24 January, 01:14 AM

France confirms Mediterranean seizure of Russian oil tanker sailing under false flag

The French Navy seized the oil tanker Grinch in the Alboran Sea, near Gibraltar, after discovering it was sailing under a false flag, France’s Mediterranean maritime prefecture said on Jan. 22.

23 January, 05:31 AM

Wagner member and Russian intelligence officer worked on attacked tanker

Some members of the Wagner private military company and Russia’s intelligence services had previously been aboard the tanker Qendil, part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” that was hit by drones in the Mediterranean on Dec. 19, according to the Dossier Center on Jan. 12.

12 January, 05:57 PM

Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean

Ukraine’s Security Service has for the first time struck a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the vessel critically damaged and unfit for operation, sources in the agency told NV on Dec. 19.

19 December 2025, 02:48 PM

Explosion in the Mediterranean: Ukraine’s HUR details fire aboard Russian shadow fleet tanker — photos

The Vilamoura tanker, which suffered an explosion in its engine room, had been repeatedly used to illegally transport petroleum products from Russian ports in violation of sanctions, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry intelligence agency (HUR) said on July 1.

1 July 2025, 12:28 PM

Mediterranean Sea

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