Ukrainian forces have launched a significant new maritime assault, targeting a Russian warship and key energy infrastructure deep inside the Caspian Sea in a bold expansion of their campaign against Vladimir Putin's war machine.
Nighttime Drone Assault on Caspian Targets
According to Ukraine's Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM), a coordinated nighttime drone attack successfully struck an Okhotnik-class patrol ship and offshore drilling platforms. The targets were located in the Filanovsky oil and gas field, which is owned by the sanctioned Russian energy giant Lukoil.
Ukraine's general staff stated that damage assessments from the Saturday 20 December attack were ongoing. In a separate but related action, Ukrainian drones also hit a radar system in annexed Crimea, demonstrating Kyiv's ability to conduct simultaneous operations across multiple fronts.
Expanding the Battlefield: From Mediterranean to Caspian
This latest blitz follows Ukraine's claimed first attack on a Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea just one day earlier, on Friday 19 December. An official from Ukraine's SBU security service reported that the tanker Qendil sustained critical damage from strikes in neutral waters off the coast of Libya.
This location is more than 2,000 kilometres from Ukraine, highlighting the remarkable range and ambition of Kyiv's naval drone programme. Russia's so-called shadow fleet, comprised of unregulated tankers, has been crucial for Moscow to export oil and fund its invasion despite Western sanctions, making it a high-priority target for Ukraine.
European Support and Unyielding Russian Ambitions
The strikes coincide with a major European Union financial agreement for Ukraine. EU leaders announced a €90 billion (approximately £79 billion) loan for Kyiv over the next two years. While a vital economic lifeline, the deal fell short of hopes as leaders failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets worth €210 billion to fund the package. Consequently, EU taxpayers will pay €3 billion per year in interest on the new common debt.
Despite ongoing peace talks, a sobering report from US intelligence, cited by Reuters, warns that Moscow's strategic goals remain unchanged since the 2022 full-scale invasion. The intelligence suggests that Vladimir Putin is still seeking control of all of Ukraine and territories of former Soviet states, including NATO members. "The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more," US Representative Mike Quigley told Reuters.
On the ground, the human cost of the war continues to mount. Ukrainian officials confirmed that a Russian missile strike on the Pivdennyi port in Odesa on Friday killed eight people and wounded 27, with some victims on a bus at the epicentre of the blast. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba accused Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian logistics routes after further strikes on reservoirs in the region on Saturday.
In a development for future capabilities, Ukraine and Portugal have agreed on the joint production of Ukrainian sea drones. Presidential aide Oleksandr Kamyshin stated the proven technology "will help Portugal defend Europe from the sea." Meanwhile, as Ukrainian negotiators headed for talks in the US, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed the capture of two villages, Svitle and Vysoke, though these reports could not be independently verified.
