Ukraine struck two oil tankers hours before drones hit Russia’s Novorossiysk terminal.
Sea drones hit the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal around 4AM, forcing operations to stop, local media report.
The attacks amplify tensions as Kyiv targets Russian maritime assets across the Black Sea.
Emergency Crews Respond to Tanker Explosions
Rescue teams retrieved both crews after the attacks triggered a major operation.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and burned 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli while sailing empty to Novorossiysk.
Shortly after, the Virat suffered hits about 35 nautical miles off the Turkish coast, authorities report.
Officials classify both vessels as sanctioned ships used by Russia to bypass oil export restrictions.
Sanctions and Military Strategy Intensify Pressure
The US sanctioned Virat in January, followed by the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada, OpenSanctions reports.
The EU later sanctioned Kairos in July, followed by the UK and Switzerland.
A Ukrainian security official confirmed Kyiv deployed Sea Baby drones capable of carrying over €60 million in oil.
The official, speaking anonymously, added intelligence continues active measures to limit Russia’s war funding.
