On November 28, Ukrainian drones attacked two Russian tankers off Turkey’s Black Sea coast, crippling them and threatening Russian oil transport.
Attack on Russian Tankers
On November 28, Ukrainian drones struck the tankers Kairos and Virat, both listed on sanctions. The vessels were moored off Turkey’s Black Sea coast en route to Novorossiysk for loading, potentially carrying $70 million worth of oil.
Serious Blow
Videos show the tankers ablaze and severely damaged, effectively removed from service. An SBU representative said the strike would be a serious blow to Russian oil transport. The vessels belong to Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet”, used to circumvent sanctions.
Attack on Russian Oil Terminal
In the same hours, drones damaged an oil terminal in Novorossiysk, targeting infrastructure of the Caspian Oil Transport Consortium. Port equipment was offline and emergency valves were activated to stop an oil spill, while cranes and pumping units sustained damage. This is the third hit on the consortium’s infrastructure in the region, following attacks on a pumping station in February and on corporate offices in September.
