A Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker sank in the Mediterranean after explosions and fire, with Moscow accusing Ukraine of carrying out a naval drone attack. All 30 crew members were rescued safely, Libyan and Maltese authorities confirmed.
The tanker, Arctic Metagaz, went down about 130 nautical miles north of Libya’s Sirte port while en route from Murmansk to Egypt’s Port Said. Libyan port officials reported that the ship was carrying approximately 62,000 tonnes of LNG.
Maltese authorities coordinated a rescue operation, and all 30 Russians aboard were found safe in lifeboats, according to Malta’s Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri. Night-time footage purportedly showing the tanker ablaze has circulated online, though its authenticity remains unverified.
Russia’s transport ministry and President Vladimir Putin labeled the incident a “terrorist attack” and “maritime piracy,” accusing Ukraine of deploying uncrewed sea drones from the Libyan coast. Moscow also implicated the European Union in alleged complicity.
The Russian ministry claimed the tanker’s cargo complied with international regulations. President Putin described the attack as part of a repeated pattern of threats against Russian shipping.
Ukrainian response
Ukraine’s state security service (SBU) has not officially commented. A Ukrainian-linked social media account, United24, gave ambiguous remarks suggesting the drones may not have belonged to Ukraine’s fleet.
Serhii Sternenko, a blogger and adviser to Ukraine’s defence minister, shared images showing a “serious hole in the engine room” of the tanker, describing it as irreparable. However, the source of the images and their authenticity have not been independently confirmed.
Background
The Arctic Metagaz is part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a collection of largely sanctioned and older vessels deployed to circumvent international restrictions on oil and gas shipments. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has targeted similar vessels—mostly in the Black Sea—using naval drones.
Russia has increasingly relied on these vessels to transport energy exports and maintain revenues critical for funding its military operations in Ukraine. The Mediterranean attack marks a notable escalation beyond previous Black Sea strikes.
While the incident caused no casualties, it raises concerns about maritime security and the expanding reach of naval drone attacks. Moscow’s accusations may escalate tensions in the region, while international authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the tanker fire.
