A Turkish official source reported that the Russian-flagged tanker MIDVOLGA-2 was struck in the Black Sea. The attack occurred approximately 80 miles off the Turkish coast, and the vessel is currently navigating independently towards Sinop with its crew of 13.

Moscow subsequently confirmed this incident, attributing it to Kyiv’s actions and labeling the assault as a “terrorist attack.” Russian officials reiterated that Ukrainian forces have targeted commercial ships in the region. This claim was met with skepticism by Turkish authorities who refrained from assigning blame but emphasized the significant risks posed by these attacks.

The recent incident follows several previous strikes attributed to Ukraine, including drone assaults on tankers flagged to Gambia and Kenya off Turkey’s coast, which the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) acknowledged as part of its military operations. Furthermore, Ukrainian forces have been implicated in attacking a Russian crude oil platform belonging to Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC).

Despite these accusations from Kiev, Ankara has stated that the “incidents… have posed serious risks to navigation, human life, property and the environment.”