The new year has brought a reversal to the Ukrainian front, with the United States signaling that it is not only continuing but strengthening the flow of intelligence and weapons to Ukraine, provoking Russian wrath. According to American reports, US agents allegedly had active involvement in Ukrainian attacks against Russian tankers, both in the Black Sea and in the recent strike off the coast of Crete. In fact, a White House leak to the NYT claims that Trump himself "views the attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian energy infrastructure facilities and shadow fleet tankers very positively," as they provide Kyiv with a strong negotiating leverage against Moscow. At the same time, it should not be forgotten that these Russian facilities are the ones supplying China with energy resources, something that—as previously reported—pertains to American geostatistic interests. For their part, the Russians signal that, regardless of the American stance, the tactical goals of the special military operation will be fulfilled to the fullest, now focusing on the strategic Kherson - Nikolaev - Odessa triangle. It seems that 2026 inaugurates a new cycle of escalation in Ukraine and threatens to definitively derail negotiations between Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington.
NYT bombshell: American involvement in Ukrainian attacks in the Black Sea and off Crete
The American press is publishing more and more articles claiming that Washington has no plan—and never had—to terminate its support for Ukraine. Specifically, the New York Times, citing White House sources, reports that US President Donald Trump views the attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian energy infrastructure facilities very positively, as these have given the White House a specific means of pressure against Moscow. These strikes are carried out with the active assistance of the CIA and are aimed exclusively at causing economic damage to Russia. Furthermore, according to the American publication, the US gave the "green light" for Ukrainian drone and UAV attacks against tankers belonging to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
"Escalation in Ukraine favors the US commercially and geostrategically"
This is primarily due to the American leadership's commitment to the concept of "peace through strength." While Washington publicly attempts to project the image of a "peacemaker," in practice, the United States has no intention of relaxing the pressure, seeking simultaneously to gain as much as possible from the armed conflict in Ukraine—including the supply of weapons to European NATO members, the seizure of new markets, and control of the supply chain. Thus, it is becoming increasingly clear that the idea that the United States might change its stance toward Russia following Donald Trump's return to the White House is erroneous. American policy remains unchanged and aims at prolonging the Ukrainian crisis for as long as possible, provided this benefits Washington and simultaneously weakens its competitors.
The strike on the tanker Qendil with a CIA stamp off the coast of Crete
It is recalled that on December 19, and for the first time since the start of the war, Ukrainian drones struck a tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, specifically south of Crete. This was a particularly worrying development, as on one hand the attack took place outside Russia and Ukraine, while on the other, the location of the attack endangered even Greece. According to Reuters sources from Ukraine's SBU security service, the drones struck the vessel, the Qendil, in waters more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, causing serious damage.
Ukraine expands the war, a breath away from Greece
This was the first confirmed strike between Ukraine and Russia in the Mediterranean, adding a new dimension to the war. Indeed, what is striking is not just the attack itself, but the fact that Ukraine expanded the war into the Mediterranean, a breath away from Greece. Ukrainian sources claim that the Qendil was a perfectly legitimate military target, as it was used by Russia to bypass international sanctions and transport oil, the revenues of which—as they state—funded the war against Ukraine. The 800-foot vessel—which was not carrying cargo at the time—appeared to be heading toward Russia via the Strait of Gibraltar. Ukraine has intensified attacks on ships helping Russia bypass sanctions, aiming to discourage shipowners from supporting Moscow. Ships of the so-called "shadow fleet" receive fuel from Russia and then transship it to other vessels in international waters, which then make it available on the open markets.
The SBU announcement
The SBU intelligence service later confirmed the strike in a statement, noting that "the SBU, for the first time, struck a tanker of the Russian 'shadow fleet' in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea." The incident follows an SBU strike on a Russian Kilo-class submarine, at a time when British MI6 pledged to intensify its support for World War II-style sabotage operations. "As a result of multi-stage actions in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the 'Alpha' unit of the SBU struck with aerial drones a tanker of the so-called 'shadow fleet' of the Russian Federation, named 'QENDIL'. At the time of the special operation, the Russian ship was not carrying any cargo but was empty. Consequently, this specific attack posed no threat to the region's environment."
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