According to foreign media reports, Ukraine launched a remote drone attack on an oil tanker associated with Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," marking Ukraine's first confirmed attack in the distant Mediterranean region.

The target of the attack was the Afra-type oil tanker "Kendal," flying the flag of Oman, which came under attack in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea more than 2,000 kilometers away from Ukrainian territory. The operation has been attributed to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

According to security firm "Vanguard" and Ukrainian sources, the vessel, with a capacity of 115,400 tons, suffered severe damage and is currently unable to continue operations.

Owned by Qendil Marina and built in 2006, the oil tanker was reportedly empty at the time of the attack, with no reports of casualties or marine pollution.

Kyiv alleges that the vessel was used to circumvent international sanctions, providing support for Russia's oil transportation.

Based on this, Ukrainian officials have classified the ship as a legitimate military target in accordance with their wartime assessment. The vessel is widely described as part of the "shadow fleet" of Russian oil shipments to areas outside Western jurisdiction.

While Russian authorities have not independently confirmed this information and Moscow has not commented on it, purported video footage of the attack has been widely circulated on social media, supporting Ukraine's claims.

Following Kyiv's recent attacks on Russian-affiliated shipping and energy assets, Russia retaliated with a series of assaults on Ukrainian port infrastructure. Over the weekend, two Turkish-controlled vessels were attacked, significantly increasing risks for Black Sea commercial shipping.

In the early hours of Thursday, a Ukrainian drone attacked a cargo ship docked in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, resulting in two crew members killed, three injured, and the vessel catching fire.

This attack signifies a significant expansion of Ukraine's maritime operational scope. Sources indicate that Ukraine will continue to target vessels of the "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil at "any location worldwide," expanding operations to regions over 2,000 kilometers away from Ukrainian territory, whereas Ukraine's drone operations were previously primarily limited to the Black Sea and have recently extended to adjacent waters like the Sea of Azov.