Oil Tanker Catches Fire Off Sochi After Reported Sea Drone Attack; Residents Told to Keep Windows Closed

An oil tanker caught fire off the coast of Sochi, Russia, after what was reported as an attack by sea drones in the Black Sea, according to Meduza.

Residents of Sochi reported seeing the fire on the vessel, with one local resident telling the independent outlet "Osторожно, новости" ("Be Careful, News") that "the fire is visible from the entire coastline."

Authorities reportedly asked residents in the area not to open their windows, a precaution sometimes taken in the event of fires or explosions involving fuel or chemical cargo, to limit exposure to smoke or fumes.

The Black Sea has seen a series of incidents in recent years involving drones and attacks on vessels, particularly amid the broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has repeatedly disrupted shipping and raised security concerns for tankers and other commercial vessels operating in the region.

Details on the tanker's identity, the extent of the damage, and whether there were any casualties were not included in the available report. Russian authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of the report.