Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking the sanctioned LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz off the Libyan coast, triggering a fire in the Mediterranean between Libya and Malta, while Malta says the crew were rescued in a lifeboat after a sudden explosion and major blaze.

Ukraine is said to have developed a new sea drone design, the Sea Baby, boasting extended range and payload as part of ongoing maritime capability assertions.

The Arctic Metagaz was en route from Murmansk to Port Said, Egypt, when the incident occurred.

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President Putin signaled that Russia could halt gas supplies to Europe and redirect exports to other opening markets, directing the government to study options with energy companies.

Libyan authorities said the incident is under investigation and they will provide more information as it becomes available.

Putin warned Kyiv, with alleged Western intelligence support, plans to sabotage major gas pipelines like Blue Stream and TurkStream, drawing a comparison to past Nord Stream actions.

Sternenko posted unverified images of the tanker’s damage online, with verification still pending.

EU officials indicated the European Commission would present a legal proposal to permanently ban Russian oil imports on 15 April, following Hungary’s election, signaling broader market implications.

Putin argued that Ukraine is harming Europe by its actions and criticized Kyiv for damaging EU relations.

Zelenskyy suggested trilateral talks with the United States and Russia on ending the war could resume when Middle East tensions ease, after discussions with Middle Eastern leaders.

The report references broader coverage on risks from Russia’s shadow fleet to European waters, linking to further analysis.