Turkey Monitors Black Sea Security After Russian Strike Hits Turkish-Operated Oil Tanker

A naval drone struck the Altura, a Turkish-operated, Sierra Leone-flagged Suezmax tanker carrying roughly one million barrels of Russian crude from Novorossiysk, causing an engine-room explosion approximately 15-18 nautical miles from the Bosphorus Strait and leaving the vessel adrift and not under command. All 27 crew (all Turkish nationals) were unharmed and no oil spill was reported. Turkey dispatched the rescue vessel Nene Hatun and coast guard speedboats. Turkish Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the blast appeared externally caused by an unmanned marine vehicle and ruled out an aerial attack. Ankara condemned the strike and warned both Kyiv and Moscow against carrying out attacks near Turkish territorial waters. Russia responded: Presidential Aide Nikolay Patrushev announced additional maritime safeguards for Russian-flagged vessels, and Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pledged Moscow would 'use all available instruments to guarantee respect for the principle of freedom of navigation.' Ukraine made no official claim of responsibility, though Zelenskyy stated separately that Russia's 'tankers and shadow fleet must not feel safe in European waters.' The Altura is sanctioned by the EU, Britain, Switzerland, and Ukraine; Ukrainian military intelligence data indicates the vessel transported approximately six million barrels of Russian oil between January 2024 and July 2025. This is the second tanker struck in weeks, following a Greek-operated tanker damaged near Novorossiysk earlier in March.