Russian oil tanker Valery Gorchakov slowly sinks days after recent drone attack near Rostov

A Russian oil tanker hit by drones near Rostov-on-Don continues to sink, with new photos showing significant submersion of the vessel’s stern. The drone attack on the Valery Gorchakov days ago reportedly left two crew members dead and three more wounded.

As Russia’s war against Ukraine goes on, Kyiv carries out strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure—from oil depots, refineries, and pipelines to shadow fleet tankers and terminals—aimed at disrupting military fuel supplies and cutting revenues from petrochemical exports that help fund the invasion. Russian tanker keeps sinking after drone strike

The Valery Gorchakov oil tanker was attacked by drones on 18 December while near the maritime terminal of the Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant. The strike caused the ship to begin taking on water. The vessel caught fire during the drone strike and that two crew members died while three others were injured. 

By the morning of that day, its stern had started submerging. The damaged vessel was surrounded only by containment booms. There was no visible sign of rescue or salvage operations near the site. The only response visible was the rapid placement of containment booms around the damaged tanker.

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New photos published by the Ukrainian Telegram channel Krymsky Veter on 21 December evening show the vessel’s current condition, with the stern almost completely underwater. 

Russian oil tanker Valery Gorchakov seen listing at the stern after the 18 December drone strike near Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia. 21 December 2025. Photo: Krymsky Veter

The Valery Gorchakov was originally built in 1969 as a dry cargo ship. In 2004, it was converted into an oil tanker capable of transporting all classes of oil products.

Last night, Ukrainian drones hit two other Russian tankers in the area of the port of Taman in the Black Sea. Read also

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