Drones attacked three tankers in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey

Drones attacked three tankers in the Black Sea off the northern coast of Turkey, Reuters reports citing shipping agency Tribeca.

According to him, drones attacked the tanker James II, flying the flag of Palau, about 80 kilometers north of the Turkeli area. The Sierra Leone-flagged tankers Altura and Velora were attacked in a nearby area while transferring oil from ship to ship.

The Turkish Coast Guard arrived at the scene of the strikes. The tanker crew members were not injured.

All three vessels are allegedly part of the Russian “shadow fleet” and are under sanctions. "Altura" and "Velora" transported Rosneft's raw materials. In October 2025, they came under EU sanctions, and then under sanctions from the UK, Switzerland and Canada. The tanker "Jacob II" is under British sanctions.

Drones have already struck Altura in March.

• In recent months, Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian “shadow fleet” tankers have been reported several times. In particular, three ships were attacked in the Black Sea, and another, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was attacked in the Mediterranean Sea. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to completely cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea.