Russian tanker struck off Turkiye as Ukraine targets ‘shadow fleet’

The third vessel to be targeted within a week has been a Russian-flagged tanker in the Black Sea, according to reports of an attack off the Turkish coast.

The Midvolga-2 had reported being attacked about 130 kilometers (80 miles) away from land, according to the Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs on Tuesday.

Apparently, the tanker departed from Georgia with sunflower oil. Following the attack, Ukrainian naval drones launched attacks on two Russian-flagged vessels that, according to Kyiv, were “shadow fleets” that were importing crude exports without the approval of international sanctions.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, criticized the attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea as a “worrying escalation” of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, as evidenced by Friday’s strikes.

The directorate stated on X that the Midvolga-2 crew had no injuries among its 13 crew members, adding that the ship had not requested assistance and was heading for Turkiye’s Sinop port.

A kamikaze drone was used, according to Turkish TV channel NTV, who provided no further information.

The necessary messages were sent to the relevant parties, including Ukrainian authorities, according to a Turkish official who spoke to Reuters news agency.

Turkish balancing act

A Kyiv official told Reuters that the Kairos and the Virat were being targeted by Ukraine as they approached a Russian port to load up with oil destined for foreign markets on Friday.

In the first nine months of this year, 113 of these vessels sailed under a false flag, carrying 11 million tons of Russian crude, which is worth 4.7 billion euros ($5.4 billion), according to a recent report from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

Throughout the entire conflict, which was sparked by Russia’s massive invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, NATO member Turkiye has maintained cordial relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.

It has hosted three rounds of peace talks as a mediator.

Ankara has offered Ukraine military assistance as a member of NATO. It has, however, demanded that the Black Sea’s navigational security be maintained and resisted Western sanctions against the Kremlin.

In a televised address on Monday, Erdogan said, “We cannot condone these attacks, which are a threat to navigational safety, life, and the environment, especially in our own exclusive zone,” adding that Turkiye had issued a warning to “all related sides.”

Crude targets

In a bid to deprive Moscow of funds to sustain its war, Kyiv, which has endured stringent attacks against its energy infrastructure for years, has recently focused on rupturing Russia’s oil industry.

Russian refineries and crude terminals have been in particular the target of criticism.

The Ukrainian attacks on oil tankers and infrastructure in the Black Sea, according to Russia’s foreign ministry, were “acts of terrorism” that threatened regional freedom of navigation.