Russian tanker damaged in new water drone attack

A Russian tanker was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Black Sea, the second such strike in 24 hours, in the latest sign of Kyiv’s growing focus on naval warfare.

A Russian tanker was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Black Sea, the second such strike in 24 hours, in the latest sign of Kyiv’s growing focus on naval warfare.

Russia’s chemical tanker SIG received a hole in the engine room near the waterline, Russia’s marine agency said on Saturday.

Tugboats were deployed to assist the tanker, which is under United States sanctions for assisting Russian forces in Syria, after the attack rendered it incapable of operating on its own, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

“They will deal with it now on whether to take it under tow or not,” it quoted Russia’s rescue agency as saying. “It is standing at anchor for the moment. The machine room suffered some damage, not too badly.”

No casualties were reported.

Russia said it would punish Ukraine for using a sea drone to attack a civilian tanker near the Kerch Strait in what it said was a “terrorist act” that threatened the lives of the crew and risked “a large-scale environmental disaster”.