The fourth Russian tanker attacked in a week 0 19

In the Black Sea, approximately 80 miles (about 120 km) off the coast of Turkey, the tanker Midvolga 2 was attacked, the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported on Tuesday, December 2. The vessel was en route from Russia to Georgia carrying sunflower oil. There were 13 crew members on board. The tanker did not request assistance, and there were no reports of injuries. According to Turkish authorities, Midvolga 2 is heading towards the city of Sinop.

As indicated by the vessel tracking service VesselFinder, the tanker Midvolga 2, built in 2014, sails under the flag of Russia. Its owner is the Middle Volga Shipping Company, registered in Moscow. The company is under sanctions from Ukraine.

Rosmorrechflot stated that the attack on Midvolga 2 was carried out by drones, resulting in minor damage to the superstructure, with no water ingress. This is already the fourth such incident this week involving tankers transporting goods from Russia.

A series of attacks on vessels carrying Russian cargoes

The day before, the tanker Mersin, transporting Russian oil, experienced four external explosions. A representative of Besiktas Shipping, which services the vessel, reported that the incident occurred near the capital of Senegal - Dakar. A hole was formed in the hull of the tanker, and water began to enter the engine room, but the vessel remained stable, and the crew was safe. There was no environmental pollution.

On November 28, two tankers flying the Gambian flag - Kairos and Virat - were attacked in the Black Sea near the Bosporus. Employees of the Turkish Coast Guard evacuated 25 crew members from Kairos, which caught fire after the attack. There were 20 crew members on board Virat, and their lives were not in danger, said Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu. According to Reuters, both tankers are part of Russia's "shadow fleet" and are under Western sanctions.

SBU's version and Turkey's reaction

Sources in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the publications "RBK Ukraine" and "Suspilne" that both vessels were struck by Sea Baby marine drones. According to them, the tankers, which had previously entered Russian ports, were rendered inoperable after the attacks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the situation as a "worrisome escalation." "We cannot justify these attacks that threaten navigation, life, and environmental safety, especially in our own exclusive zone," he stated.