Russian-flagged tanker attacked in Black Sea – Türkiye

A Russian-flagged tanker en route to Georgia has been attacked in the Black Sea, Turkish officials have said. Last week, Russian authorities accused Kiev of carrying out drone attacks on commercial vessels in the area.

In a statement on Tuesday, Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure's General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said the MIDVOLGA-2 tanker, which was carrying sunflower oil, reported being attacked about 80 miles (120km) off the country’s coast.

“The ship, which currently has no adverse conditions among its 13 personnel, has issued no request for assistance. The ship is proceeding towards Sinop on its own engines,” officials said, without identifying the culprit behind the strike.

Later, Russia’s Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport said that the vessel had been attacked by a drone and had sustained some minor damage.

Last week, several explosives-laden sea drones struck two Gambian-flagged tankers – the Kairos and the Virat – off Türkiye’s coast, an assault Ukrainian media sources have described as a joint operation involving the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Kiev’s navy.

In addition, a suspected Ukrainian drone attacked a crude hub on Russia’s Black Sea coast belonging to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), operated by Russia, Kazakhstan, the US, and several Western European nations.

Moscow has denounced the raids as “terrorist attacks,” with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also accusing Ukraine of encroaching on Turkish sovereignty.

While Ankara refrained from assigning blame, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said the “incidents, which took place within our Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea, have posed serious risks to navigation, human life, property and the environment.”