Drones Strike 3 Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tankers in Black Sea Near Turkey
Kyiv Post • • world
Key Points:
- Three Russian-linked tankers in the Black Sea near Turkey’s northern coast were attacked by drones, prompting a Turkish coast guard response; no crew casualties were reported.
- The vessels—James II, Altura, and Velora—are part of Russia’s "shadow fleet," a sanctioned network used to bypass Western sanctions and continue exporting oil, accounting for up to 30% of Russia’s seaborne oil exports.
- Altura and Velora, both under Sierra Leone flags, had been sanctioned by the EU, UK, Switzerland, and Canada for transporting Russian oil linked to Rosneft, and have been operated by a Turkish company since late 2025.
- The James II tanker, flagged by Palau and sanctioned by the UK, was hit in its engine room while sailing without cargo; all three ships have connections to companies linked to Iranian and Russian interests.
- This attack follows a series of similar drone strikes on shadow fleet vessels in late 2025, part of Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Russia’s sanctioned oil exports using naval drones.