Ukraine hit two oil tankers only hours before drones struck a major Russian terminal.
Sea drones attacked the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Novorossiysk around 4AM, local media reported.
The assaults came shortly after Ukraine targeted two tankers in the Black Sea near Turkey.
Emergency Crews Manage Explosions and Fires
Rescue teams saved both crews after the attacks triggered immediate coast guard operations.
The Gambia-flagged Kairos exploded and caught fire 28 nautical miles off Kocaeli while sailing empty to Novorossiysk.
The second tanker, Virat, suffered damage 35 nautical miles from the Turkish coast shortly afterward.
Officials confirmed both ships belong to Russia’s aging fleet used to bypass sanctions on crude oil.
Sanctions and Drone Warfare Impact Russian Revenue
OpenSanctions lists Virat as sanctioned by the US in January, followed by the EU, Switzerland, UK, and Canada.
The EU sanctioned Kairos in July, followed by the UK and Switzerland, limiting Russian oil operations further.
A Ukrainian security official said Kyiv deployed Sea Baby drones to target tankers carrying oil worth over €60 million.
The official added that intelligence services continue actively restricting Russia’s financial resources to fund the war.
