Drone attacks hit oil tankers and supply vessel in the Black Sea

On July 30, 2026, two Greek-managed oil tankers, the Marshall Islands-flagged 'Nissos Sifnos' and the 'Marathi', were targeted by drone strikes near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal off Novorossiysk, Russia. The 'Nissos Sifnos' was hit at approximately 01:48 Moscow time during loading operations, causing a fire near its cargo deck that was extinguished by the crew and support vessels. No casualties were reported among the crews of the oil tankers.

Separately, on August 1, 2026, Alexei Likhachev, director of the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom, reported that two Ukrainian drones struck and sank a civilian vessel owned by his company in the Black Sea. The vessel was reportedly carrying construction materials and frozen food. All 17 crew members survived the attack. Likhachev characterized the sinking as an act of piracy and armed robbery.

These incidents occur against a background of intensified naval warfare in the Black Sea, where both Russia and Ukraine have increased strikes against vessels they claim support the opposing side's military operations. The attacks continue to threaten regional maritime security, with both nations maintaining their stance that targeting merchant shipping is a tactical necessity in the ongoing conflict.