Unknown drones attack three Russian tankers near Türkiye
Photo: Three Russian tankers under attack by drones off the coast of Türkiye (Getty Images)
According to the shipping agency Tribeca, the tanker James II, sailing under the flag of Palau and sailing in ballast, was hit by a drone in its engine room about 80 kilometers north of the Turkeli area and 77 kilometers from the strait.
At the time of the attack, there were 20 crew members on board.
Two other tankers — Altura and Velora, sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone — were attacked in a nearby area.
At the time of the strike, they were conducting a ship-to-ship transfer operation at sea. Both vessels were also sailing in ballast.
Unknown drones attack three Russian tankers near Türkiye pic.twitter.com/Jd9B31jCoO
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) May 28, 2026
Footage shows a Cyrillic inscription on a drone resembling the word "police."
"Coastal safety boats were dispatched to the scene. All crew members aboard all three vessels were reported in good condition," Tribeca said.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.
According to the HUR portal, the tankers Altura, Velora, and James II are part of Russia’s shadow fleet — vessels used by Moscow to bypass sanctions and trade oil.
The shadow fleet refers to ships Russia uses to evade sanctions. It accounts for up to 30% of Russian oil exports, and each targeted vessel can carry oil worth up to $70 million.
Earlier, Russia threatened to escort shadow fleet tankers with warships and mobile fire groups, citing a threat of sabotage.
