Russia with submarine in the Mediterranean and Tanker Attack Reflecting a Spreading War

A Russian naval group made up of the Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar and the support tug Altay docked in the Algerian port of Algiers on December 18 for a planned four-day visit. The stop was officially presented as part of routine naval cooperation between Russia and Algeria.

While visits of this kind are not unusual, the deployment reflects a broader change in how Russia operates its submarines in the Mediterranean. Moscow can no longer rely on its naval base in Tartus, Syria, as a secure and fully functioning hub. For years, Tartus allowed Russian submarines to resupply, carry out maintenance, and rest crews, making longer and more effective patrols possible.

With Tartus now less available, Russian submarine missions in the Mediterranean have become shorter and more limited. Instead of extended patrols, submarines now tend to make brief cruises, stopping more often in ports of friendly countries such as Algeria. These port calls help offset the loss of Tartus but do not offer the same level of logistical support or operational freedom.

The presence of the tug Altay alongside Krasnodar highlights this more cautious approach. Operating with a support vessel suggests a need for greater self-reliance during shorter deployments and reflects the challenges of operating far from secure bases in a region that is closely monitored by multiple navies.

Seen in this light, the stop in Algiers appears to be driven more by practical needs than by a show of force. Russia remains active in the Mediterranean, but under tighter constraints than in previous years. The reduced role of Tartus has quietly reshaped Russia’s naval posture, limiting how long and how effectively its submarines can operate in the region.

At the same time, the conflict linked to Ukraine appears to have reached the central Mediterranean. During the night, an oil tanker identified as Qendil (IMO: 9310525) was reportedly struck in international waters. According to open sources and international media, the attack was claimed by Ukraine and was allegedly carried out using long-range drones.

The tanker, sailing under the Omani flag, was described by Ukrainian officials as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, a group of vessels used to move oil while bypassing Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. The incident reportedly took place south of Crete and north of the Libyan coast, far from Ukrainian territory.

If confirmed, this would be the first known Ukrainian strike against a maritime target in the Mediterranean, well beyond the Black Sea, where such attacks have become more common over the past year. Ukrainian sources say the tanker was not carrying oil at the time, reducing the risk of pollution, but that it suffered enough damage to be put out of service temporarily. Independent confirmation remains limited.

From a strategic point of view, the reported attack fits Ukraine’s wider effort to disrupt Russian energy exports, a key source of funding for Moscow’s war effort. Ukraine has increasingly targeted ships, ports and supply routes linked to Russian oil exports, first in the Black Sea and now potentially much further afield.

The Mediterranean has so far remained largely outside the direct fighting, despite heavy surveillance by NATO forces. A confirmed Ukrainian strike in this area would mark a significant expansion of the conflict’s impact on global shipping and key maritime routes.

At the time of writing, Russia has issued no official response. International observers are continuing to assess the situation, which once again highlights how uncertain and fast-changing the maritime side of the conflict has become.