An event has occurred in the Black Sea that could radically alter the logistics of Russian oil exports. On Thursday morning, in the waters off the northern coast of Turkey, drone strikes hit three large tankers. According to intelligence data, all three vessels are part of the so-called "shadow fleet" — a network of ships Moscow uses to bypass Western sanctions.
Target of the Strike: The Kremlin's Logistics Artery
The attack was carried out with high precision. The tanker James II, flying the flag of Palau, was hit in the engine room. The incident occurred approximately 80 kilometers north of the Turkele area, in close proximity to a strategically important strait.
Two other vessels — Altura and Velora (both under the flag of Sierra Leone) — were attacked in a neighboring sector. At the time of the attack, these tankers were conducting an STS (Ship-to-Ship) operation, i.e., cargo transshipment in open sea. Notably, all three vessels were in ballast, meaning they were empty, yet their destruction deals a blow to the assets of the "shadow fleet" itself.
Visual Evidence and Reaction
Footage from the scene clearly shows details of the attacking drones. On the hull of one of the drones, a Cyrillic inscription resembling the word "police" is visible, indicating specific markings used during the operation.
The situation on board remains under control: coastal security boats were promptly dispatched to the scene of the incident. According to shipping agency Tribeca, all crew members of the three vessels are safe and unharmed.
Economic Resonance
Neither Kyiv nor Moscow officially claimed responsibility for the attack in the first hours after the incident. However, data from the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) confirms the vessels' affiliation with the Russian scheme to bypass the embargo.
The "shadow fleet" currently accounts for up to 30% of Russian oil exports. The loss of each such vessel is not just damage to infrastructure but a direct economic blow: a single cargo of oil on board can be worth up to $70 million. Earlier, Russian authorities threatened to escort such tankers with warships, citing the threat of sabotage, but this incident shows that the threat is being realized in practice.
