A Russian LNG carrier transporting 62,000 tons of LNG sank in the Mediterranean Sea after an attack by Ukrainian sea drones. All 30 crew members were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta, while Moscow accuses Kyiv of international terrorism.

Attack and sinking

The Arctic Metagaz sank 240 km north of Sirte after a series of explosions caused by sea drones.

Crew rescue

30 Russian sailors were picked up from a lifeboat by Maltese services; their condition is good.

Terrorism accusations

Vladimir Putin called the incident an act of piracy and accused Ukraine of conducting an operation from Libyan territory.

Conflict expansion

The incident marks an unprecedented shift of warfare to the Mediterranean Sea area.

The Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz sank in the Mediterranean Sea after an attack by Ukrainian sea drones, which occurred about 240 kilometers north of the Libyan port of Sirte. The vessel carrying approximately became the target of a strike that triggered a series of explosions and a fire on board. According to agency reports, the incident occurred in international waters, and the ship ultimately sank after drifting for several days. This attack represents a significant expansion of the war theater to waters far from the immediate vicinity of Ukraine and Russia. Sirte was the closest land reference point for the incident location.

All 30 crew members, who are Russian citizens, managed to safely abandon ship before the vessel sank. The rescue operation was carried out by the Armed Forces of Malta, who found the sailors in a lifeboat on the open sea. Malta's Minister for Home Affairs, Byron Camilleri, confirmed that all those rescued were found safe and sound. „The crew was found safe and sound in a lifeboat” — Byron Camilleri via BBC Maritime transport of LNG has become a key element of global energy security after 2022. The Russian fleet of LNG carriers is systematically monitored by Western services as part of sanctions imposed on the Kremlin's energy sector. Previous attacks on Russian civilian and military vessels were mainly confined to the Black Sea basin.

Official sources in Moscow reacted harshly to the loss of the ship, accusing the Ukrainian side of an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) refrained from official comment on the matter, maintaining its existing strategy of not confirming operations conducted in distant waters. However, an advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Serhij Sternenko, published visual materials on social media showing the damaged vessel in flames. Arctic Metagaz Incident Timeline: March 3 — Drone attack; March 4 — Sinking; March 5 — Rescue operation; March 12 — Status confirmation

This incident raises serious concerns about the security of trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea, which is a key artery for energy supplies to Europe. Experts point to the growing threat from unmanned surface vessels, which can operate hundreds of miles from their bases, paralyzing the transport of strategic raw materials. Vessel and Incident Details: 1. Ship name — Arctic Metagaz; 2. Cargo — 62,000 tons; 3. Crew size — 30 people; 4. Location — 240 km from Sirte

Mentioned People

  • Byron Camilleri — Maltese lawyer and Labour Party politician serving in Malta's parliament, Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment.
  • Władimir Putin — President of Russia, who accused Ukraine of international terrorism.
  • Serhij Sternenko — Ukrainian blogger and advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine.