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Flames Rise From Tanker Off Sochi After Possible Sea Drone Impact, Video
UNITED24 Media • • world
Key Points:
- A large fire broke out on October 6 off the coast of Sochi, Russia, involving the Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker AFRAMAX RIO, which was carrying oil or petroleum products.
- The AFRAMAX RIO, sanctioned by Ukraine but not by the EU or Western allies, is part of Russia’s shadow fleet and has a history of transporting Russian petroleum to international markets.
- The vessel was tracked near Sochi shortly before the fire, with no official cause provided yet; the incident coincides with a drone attack on the Volodarska oil storage facility in the Moscow region on the same day.
- The Volodarska facility is a major fuel depot supplying local airports, and the fire there was confirmed by open-source intelligence through video footage.
- This event follows previous incidents involving drone attacks on vessels allegedly transporting military cargo to Russia, highlighting ongoing tensions and maritime security concerns.
