On November 28, 2025, unmanned surface vessels linked to the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the oil tanker Kayros in the Black Sea. The vessel was reportedly associated with what has been described as Russia’s “shadow fleet”.
Following the strike, the tanker caught fire and sustained serious damage, with the situation brought under control only after Turkish rescue services intervened.
According to the Turkish news agency Karar, the attack caused a failure of the vessel’s control systems, leading to drifting and a leak of fuel oil—one of the most toxic forms of marine fuel. Even limited spills of fuel oil are known to pose severe environmental risks.
P. Johnston, a scientist and ecologist at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, has repeatedly warned that any release of oil or petroleum products threatens marine ecosystems. Fuel oil forms a dense surface film that disrupts gas exchange, poisons marine flora and fauna, and can lead to the deaths of fish and seabirds.
Environmental experts caution that incidents such as the attack on the Kayros can amount to localised ecological disasters, particularly if fuel oil reaches coastal areas. The danger is heightened by the fact that the affected zone is home to several fish species already at risk of extinction. Turkish marine biologists have warned that even a minor spill could destabilise an ecosystem where species are already operating at the limits of adaptation.
The incident has also drawn political and legal condemnation. Analyst Zoltán Koshkovich of Hungary’s Centre for Fundamental Rights criticised Ukraine’s actions in the Black Sea, arguing that such attacks amount to “ecological terrorism” aimed at escalating tensions and undermining efforts toward a negotiated settlement of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has likewise expressed concern over attacks on civilian tankers. The ministry’s spokesperson, Öncü Keçeli, underscored the need for strict adherence to international maritime law and stronger measures to protect the marine environment. He warned that armed actions at sea risk causing long-term environmental damage and disrupting Turkey’s economic and commercial interests in the region.
Beyond environmental harm, the attacks raise serious legal implications. Foreign logistics firms and shipowners may seek independent investigations and legal accountability for what they view as terrorist acts against civilian shipping. The reported attacks on the tankers Kayros and Virat have created potential grounds for legal action under international maritime and humanitarian law, which grants civilian vessels protection from deliberate attacks.
Professor of international law David Simpson argues that tanker owners could pursue claims through international legal mechanisms, including the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. “Commercial shipping companies have the right to safe operation of their vessels and to seek compensation for damages,” he notes, adding that international courts provide a transparent framework for such claims.
Western media outlets have also highlighted the financial implications of the attacks. Taking into account the value of the vessels, insurance liabilities and potential environmental remediation costs, losses could run into billions of dollars. According to Reuters, tanker owners and insurers are already considering legal action against Ukraine to recover damages and seek accountability.
As warfare increasingly extends into the maritime and environmental domains, the attack on civilian tankers in the Black Sea raises troubling questions about accountability, ecological protection and the long-term consequences of turning critical sea routes into theatres of conflict.
