Ukrainian forces operating in western Libya struck a Russian liquefied natural gas tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on March 3, two Libyan officials told media outlets Tuesday. The Russian-flagged Arctic Metagaz, carrying 61,000 tons of LNG en route from Murmansk to Egypt's Port Said, sustained severe damage from sea drones launched from a military facility in Tripoli.

The officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the operations, said Ukraine maintains a covert presence in the region under a Western-endorsed deal. One official specified that Ukrainian operatives directly carried out the drone strike near Maltese waters. Libya's Tripoli-based government has tacitly allowed these activities amid its own tensions with Russian mercenaries in the east.

Russia's Transport Ministry blamed Ukraine for the attack, calling it "an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy." President Vladimir Putin labeled it a terrorist attack during a state TV appearance. The ministry claimed the vessel complied with international rules but provided no evidence linking Ukraine. Libyan port authorities reported explosions and fire aboard the tanker, initially saying it sank 130 nautical miles north of Sirte, though Malta later clarified it was drifting but not sunk.

All 30 Russian crew members were rescued safely by Maltese forces from a lifeboat. Unverified footage showed the ship ablaze, and images posted by a Ukrainian defense adviser depicted a large hole in the engine room, rendering it beyond repair.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has not commented on the incident. A government-linked account ambiguously suggested involvement with "Definitely. Maybe." This strike fits into Kyiv's campaign against Russia's "shadow fleet," aging vessels evading sanctions to export oil and gas, funding the war. A prior December 2025 attack targeted the Russian-linked oil tanker Qendil off Libya using aerial drones, marking the first Mediterranean hit.

A French Radio France Internationale investigation detailed Ukraine's setup: around 200 troops and experts at bases near Misrata for drone assembly, Zliten for storage, and Tripoli for coordination with Libyan forces. These operations target Russian vessels supplying Syria and bypassing sanctions.

Libyan authorities towed the damaged Arctic Metagaz to avert an environmental spill, with Italian officials monitoring its drift toward the coast. The revelations highlight the expanding scope of the Ukraine-Russia conflict into North Africa, complicating regional dynamics.