A suspected Russian drone attack struck a Turkish tanker, the MT Orinda, at Izmail port in Ukraine’s Odesa region on Monday, setting the vessel on fire and leading to evacuations in Romania.
The strike happened a day after Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a deal to import U.S. liquefied natural gas through the area. The deal, finalized during his visit to Greece, aims to secure a pipeline route from the northern port of Alexandroupolis to Odesa, starting in January. This agreement is a critical step in Ukraine’s efforts to bolster its winter energy security, especially with Russia continuing to bombard the country’s power infrastructure.
The MT Orinda, carrying liquefied petroleum gas, was hit while being offloaded at Izmail port, according to Turkey’s Directorate for Maritime Affairs. All 16 crew members were evacuated as flames engulfed the vessel across from Romania. Footage from across the river showed the ship engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising into the sky over the Danube River. Romanian authorities ordered the evacuation of residents from the villages of Plauru and Ceatalchioi in Tulcea County, directly across the river from Izmail.
The attack took place amid renewed Russian attacks targeting the Odesa region’s energy infrastructure and port facilities. Regional military head Oleh Kiper reported that drones caused multiple fires and damaged several civilian vessels. The strike near the Romanian border has also raised security concerns for NATO, prompting the alliance to expand its air-defense operations under the Eastern Sentry initiative. Romania’s Defense Ministry confirmed that radar systems tracked several aerial targets during the night but found no incursions into Romanian airspace.
A statement from the Ministry of National Defense stated that the Russian Federation’s forces attacked areas in Ukraine located near the river border with Romania on the night of Sunday, November 16th, to Monday, November 17th. “The Ministry of National Defense radar monitoring and surveillance systems detected and tracked targets that evolved in the Ukrainian airspace, in the proximity of Tulcea County,” the statement said. The attack highlights the ongoing conflict’s ripple effects, impacting not only Ukraine but also neighboring countries. The Danube corridor has become increasingly vital to Ukraine’s export network since Russia withdrew from the U.N.-brokered Black Sea Grain Deal in 2023.
Zelenskyy’s U.S. gas deal aims to secure Ukraine’s winter energy needs amid the broader conflict. The incident occurred just days after Russia claimed Ukrainian drones hit its nuclear power plant during Independence Day strikes, raising further concerns about the security of critical infrastructure. The ongoing conflict continues to strain international relations, with NATO allies clashing over responses to Russian aggression. As the situation escalates, the financial implications of the war, including disruptions to energy markets and geopolitical tensions, continue to shape the global economic landscape.