ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A tanker carrying sunflower oil from Russia to Georgia was attacked in the Black Sea, Turkish maritime authorities said Tuesday, days after two Russian “shadow fleet” oil tankers were attacked by Ukrainian naval drones.
Turkey's General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said MIDVOLGA-2 was attacked about 130 kilometers (80 miles) off the Turkish coast. The 13 crew members were not injured, and the ship did not request assistance.
It was heading towards the Turkish port of Sinop, maritime authorities said in a statement on X.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday opposed a Ukrainian drone attack on two Russian vessels, the Kairos and the Virat, saying it signaled a “worrying escalation” in the conflict.
“We cannot tolerate these attacks, which threaten the safety of navigation, life and the environment, especially in our own exclusive zone,” Erdogan said in a televised address. “We issue the necessary warnings to all parties regarding such situations.”
Friday's attacks on Kairos and Virat took place in Turkey's exclusive economic zone. Crew members aboard both vessels are reported to be safe.
The OpenSanctions database, which tracks people or organizations involved in sanctions evasion, describes the vessels as part of a fleet of vessels used to evade sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
During the war, Ukraine carried out successful naval strikes against Russian shipping, including the use of explosive-laden naval drones. However, previously Ukrainian missions were mainly limited to the waters of the northern Black Sea.
