Fire engulfs suspected shadow-fleet tanker near Sochi on Black Sea
A vessel near Sochi was seen ablaze, with thick smoke rising over the city, and Russian channels suggest it may have been hit by naval drones.
A ship caught fire on the Black Sea close to the Russian port of Sochi, producing a visible column of black smoke captured in online videos. Russian Telegram channels speculate that the vessel, possibly the Liberia-flagged Aframax Rea, was struck by naval drones, though authorities have offered no comment. MarineTraffic data shows the tanker was last tracked near Nizhneimeretinskaya Bay, close to the Russia-Georgia border.
The Aframax Rea was added to Ukraine's sanctions list on Feb. 12, 2026 as part of the so-called shadow fleet. Sochi has been the target of multiple Ukrainian drone strikes in the past year, including attacks on its port and an oil depot. The incident follows other recent maritime attacks in the Black Sea and the nearby Bulgarian exclusive economic zone.
Why it matters
One outlet highlights the growing risk to commercial shipping from drone warfare in the Black Sea region.
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