Ukraine attacked two oil tankers hours before drone strikes hit Russia’s terminal.
Sea drones struck the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Novorossiysk around 4AM, local media reported.
The overnight attack forced the terminal to suspend all operations immediately.
Emergency Crews Save Tanker Crews
Coast guard and rescue units retrieved both crews after the attacks triggered urgent operations.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and caught fire 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli, sailing empty from Egypt.
Shortly after, the Virat sustained hits 35 nautical miles off the Turkish coast, officials said.
Authorities confirm both vessels belong to Russia’s sanctioned fleet, which evades international crude oil restrictions.
Sanctions and Intelligence Drive Ukrainian Action
The US sanctioned Virat in January; the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada followed.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, followed by the UK and Switzerland.
A Ukrainian official said Kyiv deployed Sea Baby naval drones carrying oil worth over €60 million.
The official, speaking anonymously, added intelligence continues targeting Russia’s finances to limit war capabilities.
