Libyan officials say a Russian shadow fleet tanker was hit in the Mediterranean last month after Ukrainian forces operating in western Libya used the country’s territory for the strike. The damaged vessel, the Russian-flagged Arctic Metagaz, has since drifted off Libya, raising concerns over a possible environmental threat along the coast. The Russian shadow fleet tanker was carrying 61, 000 tons of liquefied natural gas when it was struck near Maltese waters in early March.
Russian Shadow Fleet vessel drifts near Libya
The Arctic Metagaz was badly damaged in what officials described as a suspected sea drone attack. All 30 crew members were rescued and moved to another vessel heading to Benghazi, the Libyan Maritime Authority said. The tanker remained afloat after the attack and was pushed by winds and currents toward the Libyan coast, while Libyan authorities later tried to tow it to a safe zone off the country’s western coast.
Those efforts failed because of harsh weather conditions and strong winds, which caused the tanker to drift out of control. The Libyan Maritime Authority had initially said the tanker experienced sudden explosions and a massive fire while it was about 240 kilometers off the Libyan city of Sirte, and it mistakenly reported that the vessel had sunk.
Libyan naval forces step in
Rear Admiral Shuaib Yousef Al-Saber, chief of staff of the Naval Forces, said a committee was formed by the chief of general staff to monitor and address the issue of the tanker. He said the committee is dealing directly with the ship’s owners and engaging with its flag state, which he said are primarily responsible for any potential threat to Libyan coasts. The Naval Forces, he added, will take all measures needed to avert any potential danger and to meet international laws and regulations.
Major General Boubaker Al-Badri, head of the Moral Guidance Office at the Naval Forces Staff Command, said the committee will go to the ship with a Russian team to assess the situation and take practical steps. He added that naval patrol boats are continuously monitoring the tanker to protect Libyan coasts and prevent any leakage of hazardous materials.
What the officials say about the strike
Two Libyan Ukrainian forces are operating in western Libya under a covert deal endorsed by the West. One of the the March 3 drone strike that hit the tanker was launched from a military facility in Tripoli. The the Ukrainian forces, mostly drone experts, are based mainly at an air base in Misrata and also operate in military facilities in Tripoli and Zawiya.
Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials made immediate comment on the claims. The government in Tripoli also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The tanker is part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which transports oil in violation of international sanctions tied to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Why the case matters now
Ukraine has increasingly relied on drone warfare in its fight against Russia, and its Sea Baby naval drones have repeatedly struck Russian ships in the Black Sea. In this case, the same Russian shadow fleet has become the focus of a maritime standoff far from the Black Sea, with Libya now facing the risk of an offshore hazard.
The stakes are not only political but practical: the vessel carries a large LNG cargo, and Libyan authorities are already treating the drifting tanker as a potential environmental problem. The Russian shadow fleet episode now sits at the center of both a military dispute and a coastal safety response in Libya.
What happens next depends on whether the naval committee can reach the tanker, stabilize the situation, and prevent any leakage or further drift. For now, the Russian shadow fleet tanker remains under close watch as Libyan officials prepare for the next move.
