KYIV, Nov 29 – Ukraine hit two tankers used by Russia to export oil while skirting Western sanctions with marine drones in the Black Sea , an official from the SBU security service said on Saturday.

The joint operation to hit the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ vessels was run by the SBU and Ukraine’s navy, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Turkish authorities have said that blasts rocked two shadow fleet tankers near Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait on Friday causing fires on the vessels, and rescue operations were launched for those on board.

The SBU official said both tankers – identified as the Kairos and Virat – were empty and on their way to the port of Novorossiysk, a major Russian oil terminal.

“Video (footage) shows that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage a

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