Russian authorities have released video footage showing the damage to a liquefied natural gas tanker that officials say was hit by Ukrainian drones in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Libya. The Russian-flagged vessel, identified as the Arctic Metagaz, was sailing from the port of Murmansk to China when the incident occurred on March 3, according to the Russian Investigative Committee.
The committee, known as Sledcom, posted the video on Monday and described the attack as involving both aerial and seaborne drones. Investigators reported that the ship suffered significant damage, caught fire, and lost its control systems along with two LNG storage tanks. Two crew members were injured in the strike, officials said.
Sledcom spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko stated that the committee is treating the incident as an act of terrorism. The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the European Union, a detail noted in the official account of the events.
Ukrainian officials have not issued any comment on the reported attack involving the Arctic Metagaz. In the past, Ukrainian security sources have claimed responsibility for strikes on other Russia-linked tankers in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions. Last year, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Post that its naval drones had targeted two oil tankers off the Turkish coast.
Russian officials have consistently denied operating what Western governments describe as a shadow fleet to bypass sanctions on energy exports. They have also condemned the reported strikes on commercial vessels as an escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The Arctic Metagaz was en route from Russia’s Arctic region when the alleged drones struck, according to Sledcom. The location between the coasts of Malta and Libya places the incident in international waters far from the Black Sea theater where most naval drone activity has been reported previously.
Video released by the committee shows visible wreckage on the tanker, including areas where the storage tanks and control systems were reportedly destroyed. Investigators have not released additional details on the extent of the fire or how the crew responded during the attack.
Similar incidents involving tankers have drawn attention to the risks facing commercial shipping linked to Russia amid the war. The EU sanctions on the Arctic Metagaz reflect broader efforts to limit Russian energy revenues, a policy Moscow has sought to circumvent through alternative routes and vessels.
Petrenko’s statement emphasized the committee’s classification of the event as terrorism rather than a military operation. This framing aligns with Russia’s broader position that attacks on its civilian or commercial assets constitute unlawful actions.
While Kiev has remained silent on this specific case, the pattern of claimed Ukrainian strikes on maritime targets has been documented in earlier reports from Ukrainian media outlets. Those previous operations were described by Ukrainian sources as targeting vessels involved in transporting Russian oil products.
The release of the video comes as both sides continue to exchange accusations over maritime security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Russian statements have highlighted the potential danger to international shipping lanes from such drone activity.
Officials have not provided an updated status on repairs to the Arctic Metagaz or whether the injured crew members required evacuation. The tanker’s final destination in China was part of a longer voyage that began in the Russian Arctic, according to the investigative committee.
Western governments have not confirmed or denied the details released by Sledcom. Independent verification of the drone attack remains limited to the footage and statements provided by Russian authorities.
The incident adds to a series of reported strikes on energy transport vessels that have raised concerns among shipping companies operating in the region. Russia maintains that its fleet operates legally despite sanctions, while Ukraine has pointed to the vessels’ role in sustaining Russian exports.