Ukraine hit two oil tankers within hours, and the assault immediately preceded the terminal attack.
A major Russian oil terminal halted operations after drones hit it during the night.
Sea drones struck the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Novorossiysk terminal at about 4AM, according to local reports.
Consecutive Attacks Target Sanctioned Tankers
Naval drones hit two tankers in the Black Sea only a few hours earlier.
The strikes triggered a broad rescue effort, and coast guard teams saved both crews through fast action.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and burned about 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli province while traveling empty from Egypt to Novorossiysk.
Soon after, authorities reported a strike on the tanker Virat about 35 nautical miles off the Turkish coast.
Both ships appear on international sanctions lists created after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and belong to an older fleet that helps Moscow bypass oil restrictions.
OpenSanctions notes that the United States sanctioned Virat in January, followed by the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, and the UK and Switzerland later followed.
Kyiv Claims Responsibility Through Covert Operations
A Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press that Kyiv deployed locally built Sea Baby naval drones against the tankers, which could carry oil worth over €60 million.
The official, who requested anonymity, said Ukrainian intelligence continues to take active steps to limit Russia’s financial capacity to wage war.
