Ukraine hit two sanctioned oil tankers only hours before another strike targeted a major terminal.
Sea drones hit the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s marine site in Novorossiysk at about 4AM, according to local outlets.
The terminal halted operations after the assault.
Rapid Rescues After Dual Tanker Strikes
Naval drones damaged two tankers in the Black Sea near Turkey, a move Ukraine later acknowledged.
The attacks initiated a broad rescue effort.
Coast guard teams saved both crews through swift action.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos ignited and exploded 28 nautical miles from Kocaeli while sailing empty toward Novorossiysk.
The Turkish Transport Ministry released that information.
Soon after, reports described a strike on the tanker Virat about 35 nautical miles from the Turkish shoreline.
Sanctions and Strategic Pressure
Authorities list both ships under international penalties imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Observers classify them as aging vessels that Moscow employs to bypass limits on oil exports.
OpenSanctions states that the US targeted Virat in January, followed by the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, followed later by the UK and Switzerland.
A Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press that Kyiv used locally built Sea Baby drones in the attacks.
These tankers could have carried oil worth over €60 million.
The official, speaking anonymously, said Ukrainian intelligence keeps taking firm measures to reduce Russia’s funding for its war.
