Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday, May 3, 2026, that Ukrainian forces had struck two Russian shadow fleet oil tankers at the entrance to the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. "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," Zelenskyy said in a statement on X. "These tankers had been actively used to transport oil, not anymore," he declared.
The operation was led by Chief of the General Staff General Andrii Hnatov and carried out by counterintelligence officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy. The strike fits a wider Ukrainian strategy of expanding long-range capabilities against Russian energy infrastructure and Black Sea export logistics.
Ukraine's General Staff said that on April 29 the sanctioned tanker Marquise was hit by two kamikaze marine drones from a Ukrainian Navy unit. The Cameroon-flagged vessel, with a cargo capacity above 37,000 tons, was operating about 210 kilometers southeast of Tuapse with its AIS signal off, awaiting offshore loading from another ship. The Marquise is operated by Lidoil DMCC of the UAE and has been exporting Russian-origin oil and petroleum products via the Kerch Strait and Russian-occupied Crimean ports since December 2023; it is sanctioned by Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, New Zealand and Canada.
On the same day, Ukrainian drones also hit Russia's Baltic Sea oil export terminal at Primorsk. Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko said the strike caused a brief fire that was extinguished, with no oil spill reported, while more than 60 drones were downed over the region overnight. With a handling capacity of 1 million barrels per day, Primorsk is one of Russia's largest oil export gateways.
Russia's Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched at least 334 drones overnight, with Moscow, Smolensk and Leningrad regions among the targets. In return, Russia fired 268 drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile; Ukraine's Air Force neutralized the missile and 249 of the drones. The attacks killed two people in Odesa, including a port truck driver, and injured five others; three residential buildings were hit and port infrastructure and equipment were damaged.
Key Takeaways:
1. Ukraine struck two Russian shadow fleet oil tankers at the entrance to Novorossiysk on May 3, 2026.
2. The operation was led by Chief of General Staff Hnatov, with the SBU and Ukrainian Navy.
3. The sanctioned Marquise tanker (Cameroon flag, 37,000 tons, operated by UAE's Lidoil DMCC) was struck by marine drones on April 29.
4. The same day, the Baltic Primorsk oil terminal (1 million bpd capacity) suffered a brief fire from a drone strike.
5. Ukraine launched 334 drones overnight; Russia fired 268 drones plus one Iskander-M missile; two killed in Odesa, including a port truck driver.
