Two tankers of the Russian shadow fleet explode near the Bosphorus

Two tankers of the Russian shadow fleet explode near the Bosphorus - Bloomberg

Near the strait Bosphorus two tankers exploded, which international analysts attribute to the so-called shadow fleet of Russia. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to sources in the maritime industry and satellite data.

What happened

According to preliminary information, the first tanker, called Kairos was allegedly hit by a naval mine. The explosion caused a large-scale fire on board, the vessel lost its momentum and sustained critical damage.
Analysts suggest high probability of flooding.

A second tanker travelling nearby was also damaged. Bloomberg notes that this may have been caused by an «external impact» - the type of explosive is still being investigated.

Turkey's reaction and the situation in the Strait

Turkish emergency services are coordinating with crews and ship owners. The Bosphorus Strait remains one of the busiest in the world, so the incident could lead to temporary traffic restrictions.

There is no official information on possible sea pollution yet.

Context: Russia's shadow fleet

After the introduction of oil sanctions and price caps, Russia began using the so-called shadow fleet, a group of old and often technically defective vessels operating with transponders switched off and under «convenient» flags.

Experts have repeatedly warned about the risk of accidents, oil leaks and explosions due to the lack of proper technical control.