Drone Strikes Kazakh Oil Tanker Heading to Russian Black Sea Port, Causing Explosion without Serious Damage

A drone collided with a Kazakh-chartered oil tanker on its way to a Black Sea port in Russia on Tuesday, resulting in an explosion but not inflicting significant damage, as reported by Kazakhstan’s national energy company, Kazmunaygas.

Kazmunaygas has not disclosed the party responsible for the incident.

Ukraine, which has been actively engaging in strikes against Russian energy infrastructure in response to Moscow’s invasion, did not provide an immediate statement.

The vessel, named Matilda, was heading to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on Russia’s southern Black Sea coast to load Kazakh oil when it was attacked, according to Kazmunaygas.

«There were no injuries reported among the crew. Initial evaluations indicate that the ship is still seaworthy, and there seems to be no serious structural damage,» the firm stated.

Russian state media noted that earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine attacked at least one other ship in the Black Sea, which also reportedly remained operational.

Throughout the nearly four-year conflict, Ukraine has frequently targeted the CPC terminal, including a naval drone attack last November that damaged one of its three mooring points.

The Ukrainian military claims that these strikes aim to diminish the energy revenues that Moscow utilizes to finance its war efforts and consider them a legitimate response to Russia’s missile and drone assaults.

However, these attacks have caused concern for Kazakhstan, which relies on the CPC terminal for about 80% of its oil transportation.

Russia continues to carry out nightly drone and missile assaults across Ukraine, often hitting residential buildings, offices, and various civilian areas. These offensive actions have resulted in thousands of civilian casualties over the past four years.

The Ukrainian energy sector has also been a major target, with attacks leading to heating and power disruptions for millions of people.