English-language coverage of Black Sea news from the Netherlands.
A Russian cargo ship damaged by a drone attack ran aground off Turkey's coast near Istanbul. Days later, a Russian drone strike on a Tanzanian-flagged civilian vessel heading for a Ukrainian port killed its captain. The incidents underscore the ongoing threat to Black Sea shipping from both sides' attacks.
Ukrainian forces struck the Syzran oil refinery and drone facilities in Taganrog and Oryol, while hitting targets in the Black Sea. The strikes come amid disputed claims of an energy truce brokered by the US, with IEA warnings that Russia could lose 30% of refining capacity for 18 months.
Ukraine struck Russian chemical plants and destroyed a Su-33 jet and two Mi-8 helicopters on Sept 12. OSINT analysts reported a likely strike on the Caspian Flotilla flagship the previous day. The IEA warns Russia could lose 30% of refining capacity for 18 months.
Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, including at the port of Makhachkala, have destroyed significant refining capacity. An IEA report estimates Russia could lose 30% of capacity for up to 18 months, crippling fuel exports and war funding.