Drones in the Black Sea struck Russian tankers off the coast of Turkey
In the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey, unidentified drones attacked three tankers at once, which, according to Ukrainian intelligence, may belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” The strikes occurred in different areas; the vessels sustained damage, but the crews remained unharmed. The incident immediately prompted a response from maritime authorities and raised a new wave of questions about the safety of navigation in the region, reported Türkiye Today and the GUR portal.
The incident occurred in the Black Sea near the northern coast of Turkey, where three tankers were simultaneously attacked by drones, and all of them, according to preliminary data, are linked to the so-called Russian “shadow fleet,” which is used to circumvent sanctions and transport oil. All vessels were sailing under foreign flags, and the attack occurred almost simultaneously in different areas of the sea, which only reinforces theories about the coordinated nature of the strikes.
The first to be hit was the tanker James II, which was sailing in ballast and sustained damage to its engine room about ten kilometers off the coast; there were 20 crew members on board, none of whom were injured. According to maritime authorities, the vessel was sailing calmly when it was suddenly attacked from the air, after which the crew sounded the alarm and began assessing the damage.
Two other tankers—the Altura and the Velora—were also struck in a nearby area, while they were in the midst of a “ship-to-ship” cargo transfer operation, a common practice for transporting oil to circumvent controls. Both vessels were also unloaded at the time of the attack, which may have reduced the risk of major consequences; however, the very fact that they were struck while conducting the operation drew additional attention to the incident.
In the released footage, it is noticeable that one of the drones bore an inscription in Cyrillic resembling the word “police,” but the origin of these drones has not yet been officially confirmed, and neither side immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Turkish coast guard boats were dispatched to the area, and security services began inspecting all three vessels and assessing potential risks to navigation.
Ukrainian intelligence indicates that all three tankers may be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”—a network of vessels used for covert oil transportation under international sanctions. It is this segment of maritime transport that has recently been increasingly in the spotlight due to security risks, opaque ownership structures, and the difficulty of monitoring vessel routes.
The situation in the Black Sea remains tense, as the region has long been a key flashpoint in global energy and military tensions, where any incident involving tankers instantly impacts insurance markets, logistics, and oil prices. Experts emphasize that such attacks only exacerbate uncertainty and create new risks for international shipping in the region.
Earlier, Turkey joined the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
In January–April 2026, Turkey reduced imports of Russian goods by $3.5 billion, or 22.8%, compared to the same period last year.
