President Vladimir Putin has received official briefings regarding the Liberia-flagged oil tanker Aframax Rio, which suffered a major fire following an uncrewed boat attack in the Black Sea near Sochi. While authorities report that open flames have been extinguished and the 23-member Indian crew was rescued, coastal areas face ongoing safety restrictions and ecological monitoring.
President Vladimir Putin received complete reports regarding the situation with the Aframax Rio, a petroleum tanker struck by an uncrewed surface vessel off the Black Sea coast. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists that all necessary briefings had been delivered to the head of state and assured that authorities have the situation under control.
With the elimination of the consequences, everything is in order, Peskov stated, according to national coverage of the Kremlin briefings.
Black Sea Drone Strike Ignites Tanker Near Sochi
The incident began on the evening of October 6, 2026, when the Liberia-flagged vessel carrying crude oil from Novorossiysk toward India was hit by sea drones. The vessel, with a deadweight tonnage reaching up to 107,000 tons, burned for more than 12 hours, creating a massive plume of black smoke visible across the resort city and neighboring regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that Kyiv was responsible for the strike, describing it as a response in the Black Sea
to Russian military actions against Ukraine. Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin confirmed that the attack involved uncrewed surface craft and triggered an open fire of petroleum products on the water.
Emergency rescue teams evacuated all 23 Indian nationals serving as crew members, and officials reported zero casualties among the personnel.
Emergency Crews Extinguish Tanker Fire
Local authorities moved swiftly to secure the coastline as smoke drifted toward the shore. Residents received warnings to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and limit time outdoors.
By the morning of October 7, 2026, the Russian Ministry of Transport announced that open burning on the vessel had been fully extinguished. A joint task force composed of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Defense, and regional Krasnodar Krai forces deployed rescue ships to maintain continuous patrols around the drifting hulk.
Federal environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor and local monitoring stations reported that air and water sampling tests showed no hazardous spikes. Dmitry Plyushkin confirmed that measured concentrations of pollutants in Sirius remained significantly below maximum allowable thresholds.
Specialists Track Marine Dynamics Near Sochi
Specialists tracking marine dynamics explain that regional weather and water circulation will dictate where any potential runoff travels. The Main Black Sea Current normally sweeps past Sochi, potentially carrying pollutants away from populated beaches, though scientists remain cautious given the quiet, windless conditions observed through early October.
Open data records confirm that between 2024 and 2026, the Aframax Rio routinely transported shipments out of Ust-Luga, Novorossiysk, and Taman to international destinations including India, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.