Russia deliberately attacked gas tanker in Izmail port on 17 November, expert says

Russia is believed to have deliberately attacked a gas tanker in the port of Izmail on the night of 16-17 November to scare off shipowners who deliver cargo to Ukrainian ports.

Source: Andrii Klymenko, head of the Monitoring Group at the Black Sea Strategic Studies Institute

Quote: "The Turkish tanker in Izmail was most likely struck deliberately because Turkish ships account for 40% of traffic through the Ukrainian maritime corridor."

Details: Klymenko said modern reconnaissance equipment provides a high level of detail. Unlike the ports of Greater Odesa, where the AIS signal transmitters of sea vessels were turned off after a series of airstrikes in 2023, this practice is not observed in the Danube ports.

"This means that when planning the attack on the port of Izmail, Russia could not have been unaware that a Turkish gas tanker, i.e. a vessel with an increased level of danger (it is no coincidence that gas tankers are painted red), was moored there," Klymenko wrote.

The Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Strategic Studies Institute believes that Moscow decided, in its usual style, to "send a message" to Türkiye: "Don't go to Ukrainian ports, because that supports Ukraine's budget, specifically the part that goes towards financing the war with Russia."

"In the first 10 months of 2025, 2,103 merchant ships arrived at Ukrainian seaports in Greater Odesa (Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi). On average, this is 210 ships per month (more precisely, voyages, because some ships manage to make several voyages per month, but there are not many of them)," Klymenko noted.

In October 2025, despite almost daily missile and UAV attacks, there was a record number of ships since the beginning of the year – 266, Klymenko writes.

According to the monitoring group, 40% of all ships belong to Turkish companies.

"This is the largest share. Greek shipowners are in second place (up to 20%). The rest are scattered across two dozen other countries," he said.

"Our monthly analysis of missile strikes and other attacks on Ukrainian ports shows that another trend has emerged: against the backdrop of constant attacks on the ports of Greater Odesa, attacks on Ukraine's Danube ports are intensifying," Klymenko writes.

According to Klymenko, Russia's goal is to prevent them from backing up the ports of Odesa in certain cases.

"In all this, knocking the Turkish merchant fleet out of transport to and from Ukraine is a serious goal for the Russian Federation. And the attacks will intensify," Klymenko predicts.

Background:

• On the night of 16-17 November, the Russians launched a drone attack on the port of Izmail. The attack damaged port infrastructure and several civilian vessels moored at the berths.
• A tanker flying the Turkish flag, which was unloading liquefied gas, was damaged in the Russian attack on the Izmail port. About 3,000 tonnes remained on the ship. A large-scale fire broke out. The ship's crew of 16 members was safely evacuated.
• The next day, 18 November, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported that the fire on the civilian vessel, which broke out after the nighttime Russian attack on Izmail, had been extinguished.

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