Turkey on Saturday confirmed that a tanker connected to Russia’s shadow fleet was struck twice by unmanned surface vessels near its Black Sea coastline. The ship, identified as Virat, was first hit late Friday and reportedly targeted again early Saturday.

According to the Turkish transport ministry, the tanker sustained light damage on its starboard side above the waterline. Authorities said the situation on board remains stable and that all crew members are safe.

The ministry did not specify who may be responsible for the suspected attacks, and there has been no immediate claim of responsibility.

Fire on Second Tanker Continues

Turkish emergency teams are also battling a major blaze on a separate Russia-bound tanker, Kairos, which caught fire after what was described as an “external impact” on Friday. The explosion occurred roughly 28 nautical miles off Turkey’s coast while the vessel was sailing toward Russia’s Novorossiysk port.

All 25 sailors aboard the 274-meter vessel were evacuated safely, officials said, and cooling operations are still underway to prevent the fire from reigniting.

Both Vessels Under Sanctions

Data from LSEG indicates that Kairos and Virat belong to a group of tankers sanctioned following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, often referred to as the country’s “shadow fleet” due to their role in circumventing restrictions on Russian oil transport.