Ukraine launched drone strikes on two sanctioned tankers hours before Russia’s terminal faced an attack.
Sea drones hit the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s terminal in Novorossiysk around 4AM, forcing operations to halt.
Local media confirmed the terminal attack, marking a new escalation in Black Sea tensions.
Swift Rescue Saves Tanker Crews
Coast guard and rescue units saved crews after both ships suffered attacks in the Black Sea.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and ignited 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli while sailing empty from Egypt.
Authorities reported that the Virat faced damage shortly after, about 35 nautical miles off Turkey’s coast.
Both vessels belong to Russia’s sanctioned fleet, used to evade restrictions on crude oil exports.
Sanctions and Strategic Strikes Continue
The US sanctioned Virat in January, followed by the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, later followed by the UK and Switzerland.
A Ukrainian security official said Kyiv deployed domestically built Sea Baby naval drones worth €60 million in oil capacity.
The official added that Ukrainian intelligence actively restricts Russia’s ability to fund its war efforts.
