A tanker transporting sunflower oil from Russia to Georgia was attacked in the Black Sea, Türkiye’s maritime authority announced on Tuesday, marking the latest escalation in a series of assaults targeting vessels linked to Russia.

The Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said the vessel, MIDVOLGA-2, came under attack approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) off the Turkish coast. All 13 crew members escaped unharmed, and the ship has not requested assistance. According to officials, the tanker was en route to the Turkish port of Sinop when the incident occurred.

The attack comes just days after two Russian-linked “shadow fleet” tankers — the Kairos and Virat — were hit by Ukrainian naval drones within Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone. Both ships sustained damage, though their crews remained safe.

Speaking on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned Ukraine’s strikes on the Kairos and Virat, calling them a “worrying escalation” in the conflict and a direct threat to maritime safety.

“We cannot condone these attacks, which threaten navigational safety, life, and the environment, especially in our own exclusive zone,” Erdoğan said in a televised address. “We are issuing the necessary warnings to all parties regarding such situations.”

Türkiye has expressed growing concern that the war in Ukraine is increasingly spilling into Black Sea waters that Ankara considers vital for regional stability and safe commercial passage.

The Kairos and Virat are described by OpenSanctions, a database tracking sanctions-evasion networks, as part of a Russian-operated “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western restrictions imposed after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

These tankers often operate with obscured ownership, irregular transponder activity, and high-risk routes — characteristics that have drawn the attention of Ukrainian defense planners.

Ukraine has repeatedly deployed explosives-laden marine drones to target Russian naval assets and logistics routes in the northern Black Sea. However, recent strikes — including Friday’s attacks and the latest incident involving MIDVOLGA-2 — suggest operations may be extending further south, raising the stakes for regional maritime security.

While Kyiv did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack on MIDVOLGA-2, the strike fits a broader pattern in Ukraine’s evolving naval campaign.

With tensions mounting, Türkiye has reiterated its commitment to protecting navigation in its surrounding waters and warned that further escalations could pose severe risks for regional trade and civilian shipping. (ILKHA)