Drones Strike Greek-Owned Oil Tankers in Black Sea Amid Regional Tensions

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Unidentified drones struck two Greek-owned oil tankers in the Black Sea on Tuesday, officials said, in an incident that underscores mounting security risks to energy shipping routes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The vessels—the Maltese-flagged Matilda and the Liberian-flagged Delta Harmony—did not suffer major damage, according to an official from Greece’s maritime ministry, who confirmed that both ships remained operational following the attacks. No injuries were reported among their crews.

Neither Greek nor Kazakh authorities identified those responsible for the strikes. Ukraine, which has conducted a sustained campaign against Russian energy infrastructure in response to Moscow’s invasion, did not immediately comment.

Kazakhstan’s state energy company KazMunayGas said the Matilda was en route to load Kazakh crude at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal near Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk when it was hit. “There were no injuries among the crew. According to preliminary assessments, the vessel remains seaworthy, and there are no signs of serious structural damage,” the company said in a statement.

The Delta Harmony was empty at the time of the incident, Kazakhstan’s energy ministry said, adding that “no damage was inflicted on the export resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”

The CPC terminal, a critical hub for Kazakh oil exports, has been repeatedly targeted during the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In November, a Ukrainian naval drone strike damaged one of the terminal’s three mooring points, temporarily disrupting operations.

Ukrainian military officials have said attacks on Russian-linked energy infrastructure are intended to reduce revenues that Moscow uses to finance the war, arguing that such strikes are a proportionate response to Russia’s missile and drone campaign against Ukraine. 

Ukraine’s own energy infrastructure has also been heavily targeted, with repeated attacks cutting electricity and heating to millions of people, particularly during the winter months.

The strikes near Novorossiysk have frustrated Kazakhstan, which relies heavily on oil exports to support its state budget. Around 80 percent of the country’s crude is transported via the CPC pipeline, making any disruption to the route a significant economic concern for Astana.

Tuesday’s incident highlights the growing vulnerability of commercial shipping in the Black Sea, as the conflict continues to spill beyond the immediate battlefield and threaten regional energy security.