Russia-Linked Tanker Attacked Off African Coast: What We ...

By Amira El-Fekki‎

Middle East News Reporter

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A tanker believed to be linked to Russia was attacked off the coast of Senegal, a day before strikes by Ukraine in the Black Sea on other Russia-connected vessels.

Four external explosions struck the tanker while it was anchored off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, causing seawater to flood its engine room, Besiktas Shipping, the tanker's Turkish management firm said Monday.

The tanker is allegedly linked to Russia’s shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil, according to media reports.

Newsweek has reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

The Senegal attack occurred a day before Ukrainian naval drones struck two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, damaging the vessels as they headed toward the Russian port of Novorossiysk to load oil. The strike hit vessels Western governments say are key to Russia’s evasion of sanctions and funding of its war in Ukraine.

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What To Know

The M/T Mersin was hit on Thursday with no casualties reported. The company said the vessel remained secure and posed no hazard. Senegalese authorities reportedly acted to contain a potential oil spill after seawater entered the tanker’s engine room, according to Reuters on Sunday.

Besiktas Shipping managers said the blasts were ‘external,’ with speculation linking the vessel to Russian cargo as a possible reason for the attack, according to a Monday report by shipping news website TradeWinds.

Turkey and Kazakhstan have condemned Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil assets in the Black Sea and urged an end to further strikes that could threaten the flow of energy supplies to nearby nations.

What People Are Saying

Besiktas Shipping in a press release Monday: "The vessel remains safe and stable, and it poses no navigational or safety risks to its surroundings. We are working in full cooperation with the authorized insurers and the relevant Senegalese authorities, managing the consequences of the incident and supporting the ongoing technical and forensic investigations."

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Sunday: "We strongly condemn these terrorist attacks and the actions of all parties involved in their planning and execution...We also see a direct link between these attacks and attempts to hinder ongoing international efforts to achieve a sustainable peace."

A spokesperson for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told Ukrainska Pravda on Saturday following the Black Sea attack: "This was a joint operation by the SSU’s 13th Main Directorate of military counterintelligence and the Ukrainian Navy. Upgraded Sea Baby maritime drones were successfully used against the vessels. They can travel long distances and are equipped with reinforced warheads."

What Happens Next

Ukraine has said it will continue assaults on Russian energy and military supply routes while it is engaged with the U.S. amid ongoing talks aimed at ending the war that started with Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.

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