Ukraine-Russia warfare newest: Putin accused of ‘violating rules’ as two Russian oil tankers wrecked close to Crimea

The Ukrainian navy has criticised Russia for sending old vessels into choppy waters after a tanker sank and another sustained severe damage during a storm in the Black Sea.

The Volgoneft 212 tanker, with 15 people on board, split in half and spilled oil into the Kerch Strait, located between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea.

Dmytro Pletenchuk, Ukraine’s navy spokesperson, said: “These are quite old Russian tankers. You can’t go to sea in such a storm. The Russians violated the operating rules. The result is an accident.”

A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split apart during a heavy storm yesterday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait, while another tanker was also in distress after sustaining damage, Russian officials said.

The vessels were in the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, when they issued distress signals.

Russian investigators opened two criminal cases to look into possible safety violations after at least one person was killed when the 136-metre Volgoneft 212 tanker, with 15 people on board, split in half with its bow sinking.

The Russian-flagged vessel, built in 1969, was damaged and had run aground, officials said.

The second Russian-flagged ship, the 132-metre Volgoneft 239, was drifting after sustaining damage, Russian officials said. It has a crew of 14 people and was built in 1973.

Ukraine’s security service said it had launched an operation to destroy 40 rail cars carrying fuel to Russian troops in an area of the Zaporizhzhia region Moscow holds in southern Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed the operation involved different intelligence and military services and unfolded over a series of stages.“The aim was to disrupt the logistical supply routes for fuel from Crimea to temporarily occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia,” it told Reuters.

Russia has so far not commented on the alleged incident.

The SBU said one of its units organised a sabotage operation that damaged a rail line as the train was moving near the village of Oleksiivka in a Russian-held part of Zaporizhzhia region.

The train was halted, with tanker cars ablaze, and army units fired US-supplied HIMARS missiles at the site. “The missiles struck the locomotive and cars at the end of the train. The enemy was unable to reach the tanks and salvage some of the fuel,” the statement said.

Russia has launched hundreds of bombs, drones and missiles at Ukraine over the past week, according to President President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a post on X this morning, he said: “This week alone, Russia has used nearly 630 guided aerial bombs, around 550 strike drones, and over 100 missiles of various types against Ukraine.

“I am grateful to the warriors defending Ukraine and to our partners who understand our need to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses to save the lives of our people.

“Now, the world must be united and stronger than ever. Only through strength can we together force Russia and its allies to give up terror and achieve a just peace.”