Ukraine rejects Russian claims on drone strike against tanker in Black Sea

ISTANBUL

A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official on Tuesday said Kyiv “has nothing to do” with a reported drone strike on a Russian tanker in the Black Sea, rejecting Moscow’s accusations and questioning the logic of the vessel’s alleged route.

The ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said Ukraine “officially refutes any allegations of such kind made by Russian propaganda,” adding that the suggested trajectory — from Russia toward Georgia across Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone — “makes no sense” and may indicate Russia “staged the whole thing.”

Russia’s River and Sea Transport Agency earlier claimed that the MIDVOLGA-2 tanker was hit by an unmanned aerial vehicle at around 8 am local time (0500GMT) while sailing in the Black Sea.

It said the vessel sustained light structural damage but took no water and continued under its own power toward the Turkish port of Sinop, with no injuries reported.

Türkiye’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs also confirmed that the tanker reported an attack approximately 80 nautical miles off the country’s Black Sea coast before proceeding toward Sinop province. It also noted that the tanker has 13 crew members, all in no adverse condition.