Ukrainian naval drones have shot down two oil tankers belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has protested the Ukrainian attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium oil terminal in Novorossiysk.
According to Turkish authorities, the attacks targeted the Kairos and Virat oil tankers, which are under the Gambian flag and are on the UK and EU sanctions list for transporting Russian oil to circumvent international sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.
Both ships were hit off the coast of Turkey.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure said that the ship “was attacked again on Saturday morning, suffering minor damage to the starboard side.” “There is no fire on the ship, and the crew is doing well. Rescuers are at a safe distance,” the statement said. There were no reports of casualties. Turkish authorities said they had assisted the ships.
An unnamed source in Ukraine’s security service said both tankers were empty and were heading to the Russian sea terminal in Novorossiysk.
The Turkish government condemned the Ukrainian attacks on the tankers. A foreign ministry spokesman said the attacks took place in Turkey’s exclusive economic zone and “pose a serious threat to shipping, human life, property and ecological safety in the region.”
