A third Russian tanker attacked in the Black Sea, Turkish authority says
ANKARA, Türkiye (AP) — A tanker carrying sunflower oil from Russia to Georgia was attacked in the Black Sea, the Turkish maritime authority said in a statement Tuesday. Two Russian “shadow fleet” oil tankers attacked with Ukrainian marine drones.
Türkiye’s General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said MIDVOLGA-2 was attacked approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) off the Turkish coast. The 13 crew members were unharmed and the ship did not request any assistance.
In the statement made by the maritime authority about X, it was stated that the ship was heading towards Türkiye’s Sinop port.
On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke out against Ukraine’s drone attack on two Russian ships, Kairos and Virat, saying it marked an “alarming escalation” of the conflict.
In his speech broadcast on television, Erdoğan said, “We cannot approve these attacks that threaten navigational safety, life and the environment, especially in our own special region.” he said. “We make the necessary warnings to all parties regarding such situations.”
Friday’s attacks on Kairos and Virat It occurred in Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone. The crew on both ships were reported to be safe.
The OpenSanctions database, which tracks individuals or organizations involved in sanctions evasion, states that the ships are part of a fleet of ships used to evade sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine carried out successful naval attacks against Russian ships during the war, primarily using naval drones loaded with explosives. However, Ukrainian missions were previously largely limited to Northern Black Sea waters.
