Kathmandu— A Greek-run oil tanker, the Skiros, was attacked in the Black Sea on Sunday while sailing off the Russian coast following a stop at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal near Novorossiysk, Russia. The vessel, capable of carrying around 1 million barrels of oil, had loaded Russian-origin crude and the attack follows months of Ukrainian strikes targeting CPC infrastructure and tankers in the region. While there were no injuries or pollution reported, the incident occurred after a period of nearly three weeks without attacks on vessels calling at the terminal and prompted condemnation from both Russia and Kazakhstan.

Recent U.S. Intervention

The attack comes weeks after United States Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly pressed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to curtail strikes on ships utilizing the CPC hub. According to reports in the Financial Times, Vance urged Zelensky to cease targeting tankers linked to the consortium, citing damage to American commercial interests and instability in oil markets. Following this intervention, Zelensky reportedly halted attacks on tankers near the terminal, with the exception of those under Ukrainian sanctions or carrying Russian cargo.

CPC Terminal Significance

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal is a crucial transit point for Kazakh crude oil shipped across Russia to the Black Sea. Major U.S. oil companies, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, are shareholders in the consortium. Recent Ukrainian attacks had previously disrupted loadings at CPC and led to production cuts by Kazakh producers. The strikes prompted protests from Kazakhstan, which described them as a threat to its economic interests and global energy supplies.

Ukrainian Response

A spokesman for Ukraine’s General Staff stated they had no data available regarding the incident. Prior attacks on CPC infrastructure have been condemned by Russia as acts of terrorism against civilian shipping. Sunday's attack marks the first on a vessel calling at the terminal after an almost three-week pause in such incidents.

Vessel Details and Damage

The Skiros is a Suezmax-class tanker, designed to carry approximately 1 million barrels of oil. The ship’s Athens-based manager confirmed that no injuries or pollution resulted from the attack but declined to provide further details.

The incident raises concerns about continued disruptions to energy transport in the Black Sea and potential escalation of maritime security risks in the region.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.