Ukraine hit two sanctioned oil tankers only hours before drones targeted the terminal.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Novorossiysk terminal halted operations after sea drones struck it at around 4AM.
Local media reported the drones reaching the facility during overnight attacks.
Damage to Sanctioned Vessels
Naval drones also hit two oil tankers in the Black Sea near Turkey’s coast.
Rescue teams saved both crews through rapid coast guard intervention.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and burned 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli province.
It sailed empty from Egypt toward Novorossiysk when the blast ignited the fire.
Soon after, reports confirmed a strike on the tanker Virat about 35 nautical miles from Turkey.
International Restrictions and Ukrainian Claims
Authorities classify both ships as sanctioned vessels linked to Russia’s evasion network.
OpenSanctions stated that the US sanctioned Virat in January before further allied actions.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, followed by the UK and Switzerland.
A Ukrainian security official said Kyiv used Sea Baby naval drones produced domestically to hit the tankers.
The official said the drones could transport oil worth over €60 million.
The same official added that Ukrainian intelligence continued efforts to reduce Russia’s wartime financial capacity.
