Russian-flagged tanker hit drone attack off Turkey, third since Friday | World News

MIDVOLGA-2 did not make a request for assance and was proceeding towards Turkey’s Sinop port. (Photo: X/Military News UA)

A Russian-flagged tanker loaded with sunflower oil was hit a drone attack off the Turkish coast on Tuesday. According to Turkey’s Maritime Affairs Directorate, the Russian vessel, MIDVOLGA-2, came under attack 130 km off the Turkish coast.

MIDVOLGA-2 did not make request for assance

MIDVOLGA-2, which was reportedly sailing from Russia to Georgia, had 13 crew members onboard when it was struck the drone.

The Russian tanker Midvolga 2 was attacked a fixed-wing drone, possibly an FP-1/Liutyi. At least two crew members were injured, including the captain and second engineer, after shrapnel from the strike hit the ship’s bridge. Russian media claim the drone came from the… https://t.co/tEnqJdPQDP pic.twitter.com/7FagAFmsFZ— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) December 2, 2025

According to Turkish officials, the crew was unhurt, and MIDVOLGA-2 did not make a request for assance and was proceeding towards Turkey’s Sinop port.

“The necessary messages were conveyed to the relevant parties, including Ukrainian authorities,” a Turkish official told Reuters.

russian tanker Midvolga-2 just got smoked in the Black Sea. 130km from Turkey’s coast.Route: russia → Georgia.Cargo: liquid cash for missiles and murder. pic.twitter.com/P5VsQryJ9b— Bandera Fella *-^ (@banderafella) December 2, 2025

Two tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet hit

Though the authorities have not revealed who was behind the strike, Tuesday’s incident came days after two tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet were hit drones in the Black Sea near the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The two tankers, Kairos and Virat, both sanctioned Ukraine and some of its Western allies, were hit Ukraine’s Security Service Sea Ba naval drones on November 29.

Ukraine denies striking MIDVOLGA-2

However, on Tuesday, Ukraine’s foreign minry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the country was not involved in the latest attack, that it made “no sense” to attack the ship given its route to Georgia, adding this “suggests that Russia may have staged the whole thing”.“Ukraine has nothing to do with this incident, and we officially refute any allegations of such kind made Russian propaganda,” Tykhyi said on X.Story continues below this ad

Turkish response

On Monday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea were unacceptable, issuing a warning to “all related sides”.Turkey has maintained cordial ties with Kyiv and Moscow throughout the war. It has provided military support to Ukraine, but refused to join Western sanctions on Moscow.It has previously hosted three rounds of peace talks between the warring sides in anbul and repeatedly offered to host a leaders’ meeting, saying an end to the war must be achieved now.