Two Russian tankers under sanctions are burning near the coast of Turkey: what is known
28.11.2025 - 21:24
On Friday, November 28, explosions occurred on two tankers in the Black Sea near the Turkish Bosphorus Strait.
The explosions started fires on two ships that are part of the so-called “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation, Reuters and Bloomberg write.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport reported that the explosion occurred on the Kairos tanker when the ship was heading from Egypt to Russia. At the same time, according to Bloomberg, the Kairos was returning from India and heading to a Russian port.
Two high-speed rescue boats, a tugboat and an emergency response vessel were sent to the scene, which saved 25 crew members. The ship remains at risk of sinking.
The second tanker, Virat, also suffered damage in the western Black Sea. It was idle for most of the year after being hit by US and EU sanctions.
Both ships are on the list of sanctioned carriers of Russian oil. They were not carrying any cargo at the time of the incidents.
It should be noted that there have been no official reports regarding the causes of the explosions.
