The Tanker Threat: Ukraine Alleges Russia is Fighting a Dirty War at Sea

Kyiv – Ukraine has alleged that Russia is fighting a “dirty war” at sea by using its civilian oil tanker fleet for military purposes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the explosive claim that the vessels are being used for espionage and sabotage.
This accusation suggests a deliberate strategy by Moscow to subvert international maritime norms and use its commercial assets as an extension of its military. Zelenskyy said the tankers were being used for “reconnaissance and even sabotage activities.”
The Ukrainian leader has vowed to meet this threat head-on. He stated that he is working with international partners to develop a response, expressing his confidence that “it is entirely possible to stop this.”
This claim of unconventional warfare came as Russian President Vladimir Putin was publicizing his own conventional successes. He stated that his military had seized nearly 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land this year and now holds the “complete strategic initiative.”
Putin also issued a stern warning against further Western military aid, stating that if the U.S. were to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, it would trigger a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” and destroy their relationship.