The Black Sea became a battleground once more on Tuesday, as a crude oil tanker was struck by two Ukrainian drones. The attack, confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday, targeted the Matilda, a Malta-flagged vessel operating near the Russian coastline.
The Matilda was under charter to a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan’s state-owned oil company. Its mission: to collect cargo from the Russian port of Novorossiysk, a crucial hub for international energy transport. This incident immediately raised concerns about disruptions to vital supply lines.
The tanker was approximately 100 kilometers from the Russian city of Anapa when the attack occurred, around 10:15 am local time. The Russian military swiftly reported the incident, framing it as a deliberate act with potentially far-reaching consequences.
This attack isn’t an isolated event. Footage quickly emerged online, allegedly depicting a separate drone strike against another tanker, the Delta Harmony. The timing and proximity of both incidents suggest a coordinated effort.
Ukraine has remained silent regarding these events, offering no official comment on the attacks. This silence fuels speculation and intensifies the already fraught geopolitical tensions in the region.
Moscow has previously accused Ukraine of intentionally targeting critical infrastructure linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The CPC is a key artery for Kazakh oil, transporting fuel through Russia to global markets. Russian officials allege these actions constitute acts of terrorism, endangering parties uninvolved in the conflict.
The implications of these attacks extend beyond the immediate damage to the vessels. They threaten the stability of energy supplies and raise the specter of escalating conflict in a strategically vital waterway. The incident underscores the growing vulnerability of maritime traffic in the Black Sea.
