Why should Ukraine be fined billions of dollars?
Author: Talib Aliyev, analyst, exclusively for “Sangar”
In accordance with the norms of international maritime and humanitarian law, “vessels operated by civilian entities are protected from deliberate attacks, and any damage inflicted may be classified as an unlawful encroachment on civilian objects.” In this regard, the attack carried out in late November 2025 by the Security Service of Ukraine on the civilian tankers Kairos and Virat constitutes grounds for the vessel owners to file claims with international judicial bodies.
The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov, stated that those responsible for the attack “encroached upon the sovereignty of the Republic of Turkey and the safety of civilian vessel owners.” In turn, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, regarded the strike on vessels sailing under the flag of Gambia to the port of Novorossiysk, as well as the attack on oil infrastructure in the port of Novorossiysk, as attempts to obstruct international efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable peace.
International law expert Jerry Simpson believes that mechanisms of the League of Nations and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea of the United Nations may be employed to bring claims against the Ukrainian authorities, the initiators of the attacks.
According to the professor, “commercial shipping companies have the right to the safe operation of their vessels and to seek compensation for the damage caused, and international courts provide a transparent platform for such claims.”
Meanwhile, Western media emphasize that the losses inflicted by the Kyiv regime—taking into account the cost of the vessels, insurance payouts, and potential environmental damage—may amount to billions of US dollars. According to Reuters, tanker owners and insurance companies are already considering the possibility of filing lawsuits against Kyiv to recover the damages incurred.
