Turkish-Flagged Tanker Hit by Drone in Ukraine, Ship Catches Fire

WISE NEWS PRESS / ISTANBUL, TURKEY — NOVEMBER 18, 2025

A Turkish-flagged tanker, the MT Orinda, was struck by a drone and caught fire in the Odesa region of southern Ukraine on Monday, one day after Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy signed an agreement to import US liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the region.

The vessel was hit while unloading liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at the vital port of Izmail. All 16 crew members were safely evacuated, according to Turkey’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, but the incident highlights the continuous threat posed by Russia to Black Sea maritime trade and Ukraine's energy supply chain.

Attack Follows Energy Deal

The drone strike occurred shortly after Zelenskyy finalized a letter of intent in Greece to facilitate the flow of US LNG from the Greek port of Alexandroupolis into Ukraine via pipelines beginning in January.

The attack on Izmail, a key port crucial for Ukraine’s imports and exports on an estuary leading to the Black Sea, fits a pattern of repeated Russian strikes targeting the Odesa region’s port and energy infrastructure since the full-scale invasion began nearly four years ago. Moscow has not yet commented on the specific strike against the Turkish-flagged vessel.

Regional Infrastructure and Safety

Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, confirmed that Russian drones had attacked Odesa overnight, damaging energy and port infrastructure in several cities. Kiper added that the Russian strikes "caused several fires" and damaged a number of vessels, noting that one person was injured in the overall wave of attacks.

Due to the nature of the cargo (LPG) carried by the tanker, authorities in neighboring Romania ordered the evacuation of residents in two nearby villages as a precautionary measure.

The incident underscores the growing risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, even as Ukraine works to secure gas and other energy imports needed to survive the critical winter ahead.

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