Timebomb fuses detonating explosions on oil tankers 'days or weeks' after they leave Russian ports

Timebomb fuses are detonating mines connected oil tankers days oregon weeks aft they person near Russian ports, accidental maritime experts.

Underwater divers, perchance utilizing tiny vessels to attack the immense ships, are suspected of utilizing limpet mines, which connect magnetically to their targets.

Some of the tankers are believed to beryllium utilized by Vladimir Putin’s authorities to bust sanctions imposed connected Russia for his warfare successful Ukraine.

In a caller warning, maritime quality steadfast Ambrey issued a circular connected “Increased Threat to Merchant Shipping Calling Russian Oil Export Hubs”.

It did not sanction Ukraine but said that it is “highly likely” that a authorities histrion has targeted crude oil/oil products tankers calling astatine Russian ports including Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga since astatine slightest December 2024.

The attacks are suspected of being effort to descend the ships, often immoderate sizeable clip aft they person near the Russian ports and hundreds, if not thousands of miles away.

“One of the vessels sank successful the Mediterranean Sea, a 2nd was damaged disconnected the seashore of Mersin, Turkey and 1 suffered harm successful Libya,” said Ambrey.

“One vas suffered an explosion portion moored astatine Ust-Luga, Russia, and partially sank.”

The briefing added: “Ambrey assessed it highly apt that the geographical locations of the explosions are mostly inconsequential.

“The perpetrators were apt targeting shipping for having called Russian ports, with delayed fuses.

“The attacks person apt been intended to origin full losses of vessels.”

At slightest 4 tankers and 1 wide cargo vas person reportedly been targeted, with astir of the ships being deed with aggregate explosions astatine the aft, adjacent motor and machinery spaces, and underwater.

“In these caller incidents, vessels’ holes were described arsenic ranging from 1m x 0.8m to 4m x 2m successful size,” Ambrey stated.

“As they person been placed underwater, they person highly apt been placed whilst the vessels were drifting oregon anchored.

“These would beryllium placed by divers, perchance with the usage of swimmer transportation vehicles.”

The maritime experts added: “It is highly improbable that naval mines would beryllium placed whilst the vas was alongside successful larboard fixed the risks involved, but determination are opportunities enroute to/from ports wherever vessels person slowed down sufficiently for divers to connect limpets.

“Naval mines tin person mechanical oregon different types of delayed fuses which tin beryllium acceptable to detonate days, adjacent weeks, later.”

The attacks volition beryllium seen arsenic a improvement successful the “grey warfare” progressively being conducted by Putin’s authorities and different countries.

One of the vessels targeted was the Koala which had called astatine Ust-Luga.

Ships suspected of being portion of Russia’s “shadow fleet”, including the Eagle S, person been accused of damaging underwater cables successful the Baltic Sea, and busting sanctions imposed connected Putin’s regime.

A Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine was ordered to aboveground past autumn adjacent to the Yantar suspected Russian spy ship which was loitering implicit underwater infrastructure successful UK waters, and aboriginal returned erstwhile it was monitored by HMS Somerset.

Ministers person warned that Russian vessels suspected of readying to chopped undersea cables successful UK waters look being raided by Royal Marine commandos.

Ukraine has carried retired a fig of palmy sabotage operations targeting Russia.