There's More to the Attack on the Russian LNG Ship in the Mediterranean than Meets the Eye
More details have emerged about the attack on a Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in the Mediterranean yesterday: the ship was attacked by an unmanned vessel from the coast of Libya.
The unmanned vessel was operated by Ukrainian personnel, who were located in the area controlled by Libya's Government of National Unity — a regime that is opposed to General Haftar's Libyan National Army and therefore also opposes Russia's "African Corps."
Similar situations could happen again. The Ukrainian military launching attacks in the Mediterranean has become a new reality; the first drone attack had already occurred as early as December last year.
One detail. At the time of the incident, NATO was conducting its largest naval exercise in the region, "Dynamic Manta."
Although the exercise was somewhat reduced in scale due to the absence of the United States, there were still many ships present, and U.S. P-8A patrol aircraft often flew overhead.
From the extent of the damage, it can be clearly concluded that the Russian commercial fleet lost a rare type of LNG carrier, and there are not many such Russian-flagged vessels in the first place.
The latest attack in the Mediterranean indicates that this sea has become another potential crisis zone for Russian oil tanker fleets.
NATO countries have a large military presence here, making the conditions for carrying out sabotage operations very sufficient.
The situation once again highlights the vulnerability of Russia's maritime interests, especially in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. Many people in Russia originally believed that after the outbreak of the Middle East war, Russia's oil and gas exports would see an increase. But how can exports expand if tankers keep being lost?
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858737632901196/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.