tanker
© maritimeoptima.comMIDVOLGA-2 tanker
A fourth Russia-linked tanker was attacked in less than a week, marking a sharp escalation in strikes on commercial vessels tied to Moscow as the war in Eastern Europe nears its fourth year.


Bloomberg reports that the Midvolga-2, a Russian-flagged tanker hauling sunflower oil from Russia to Georgia, was hit by Ukrainian kamikaze drones about 80 miles off Turkey's northern coast. Turkish officials said the crew of 13 was unharmed in the attack.
The incident is part of Ukraine's intensifying and broadening attack on Moscow's oil/gas infrastructure and shadow tanker fleet.

On Sunday, the Russian paper Kommersant reported that the M/T Mersin tanker, hauling Russian oil, was attacked by Ukrainian drones off the west coast of Africa. This marks the first incident of its kind in the region and suggests a further broadening of the battlefield. Last week, two Russia-linked tankers were hit by kamikaze drone boats. Here's our reporting: Ukraine and its Western allies have spent the past several years targeting Russia's oil and gas infrastructure with kamikaze drones and naval drones in an effort to pressure Moscow's finances. This campaign, accompanied by sanctions, has yet to collapse Russia financially.

Attacks on Russia's oil/gas infrastructure jumped to a record last month as the Trump administration rushes to end the four-year war.
Attack chart
With U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff coming off negotiations with Ukrainian officials this past weekend in Miami and now in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin about a possible peace deal, it appears Ukraine is making one final push to inflict maximum damage on Moscow.