Russian shadow fleet tanker bursts into flames and explodes in Black Sea after Ukraine drone strike

WorldPolitics
30 Nov 2025 • 2:35 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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Two Russian sea tankers exploded into fireballs after they were hit by a coordinated Ukraine drone attack in the Black Sea.

The coordinated attacks are believed to have been carried out by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and Ukraine’s navy on Friday (28 November), according to an official.

A streak of orange flames and black, billowing smoke can be seen coming from the ship after the strike.

Türkiye's rescue units rescued all 20 staff of the Kairos tanker ship, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs announced on US social media platform X.

The directorate said the empty Kairos tanker, en route to the port of Novoroski, Russia, caught fire due to an external factor 28 miles (45 kilometers) off Türkiye's coast.

Separately, the directorate said a tanker, named Virat, was reported to have been hit approximately 35 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea.

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