A Russian‑flagged liquefied natural gas tanker, sanctioned by both the US and the UK, became a “smoking hulk” after a large explosion in the central Mediterranean early on 3rd March- an event Moscow has condemned as an “act of international terrorism” reportedly carried out by Ukrainian unmanned sea drones launched from Libya.The vessel, identified as the “Arctic Metagaz”, which plays a key role in Russia’s efforts to transport cargo from its sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, was struck by the blast at around 4am roughly 150 nautical miles southeast of Malta, maritime security sources said.Post‑explosion images show at least one cargo hold torn open, with extensive fire damage visible across the hull and deck. A military expert described the ship’s condition as “hopeless,” saying that even if it remains afloat, it would be unlikely to be repaired according to Newsbook. Although the tanker did not send a distress signal, all 30 Russian crew members evacuated safely, were located in a lifeboat, and were found within the Libyan search and rescue region. Maltese authorities confirmed they had been notified of the situation and were coordinating with international counterparts, but said the incident took place outside Malta’s designated SAR zone.Russia’s Ministry of Transport released a statement claiming that the tanker was hit by Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles launched from Libya’s coast, calling the episode an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, and accusing some EU member states of collusion. Ukraine has not publicly responded to these allegations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)Maritime OSINT analysts assessed video footage of the burning tanker as authentic, and the maritime security firm EOS Risk Group reported the ship was likely struck by a drone while heading east toward the Suez Canal.The “Arctic Metagaz” left Murmansk on 24th February after loading LNG through a triple ship‑to‑ship transfer and is one of several vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet” transporting gas to China’s Beihai terminal. Prior to the attack, the ship deactivated its Automatic Identification System for about 300 kilometres, a tactic used to evade sanctions enforcement.If the attack is confirmed as Ukrainian in origin, it would be Kyiv’s first strike on a Russian shadow fleet vessel outside the Black Sea, following a similar strike in late 2025 that damaged another tanker, the Qendil.“During the search effort, the entire crew was found safe and intact in a lifeboat within the Libyan search and rescue (SRR) region,” said Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri. “In a meeting we had in Parliament earlier today during the parliamentary session, together with the Prime Minister, I explained this to the Leader of the Opposition and the Opposition Spokesperson for Home Affairs. This is because we believe that the national interest must always prevail.”Opposition leader Alex Borg said he had met with Malta’s Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister to follow the situation closely, offering full support and emphasising the need to set aside political differences. Maltese authorities believe environmental damage is unlikely, as the tanker was carrying liquefied natural gas rather than crude oil.Credit: @ShaykhSulaiman via X•