Turkish-Operated Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Attacked in Black Sea Near Istanbul

• A foreign-flagged, Turkish-operated crude oil tanker was attacked in the Black Sea near Istanbul on Thursday.
• The incident occurred approximately 33 km from the Bosphorus, just outside Turkish territorial waters.
• The Sierra Leone-flagged tanker was carrying about one million barrels of Russian crude oil, having departed from Novorossiysk.
• Turkey's transport minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated an explosion in the engine room was reported, believed to be from an unmanned surface vehicle.
• All 27 Turkish crew members on board were reported safe, with rescue teams dispatched to the site.