A naval drone attacks an oil tanker off the coast of the Russian city of Sochi

BarcelonaA naval drone attacked an oil tanker off the Russian Black Sea coast this Tuesday, causing a large fire and a cloud of black smoke that covered parts of the resort city of Sochi, according to the Russian Ministry of Transport. The tanker, flying the Liberian flag, was loaded with crude oil. "Extinguishing efforts will begin when the intensity of the fire has decreased and rescue vessels can safely approach the tanker," the ministry indicated. The entire crew, 23 people of Indian nationality, was able to be rescued. Kyiv has made no comment on the attack.

Russia and Ukraine have attacked commercial vessels in the Black Sea since the conflict began, and Russia has recently attacked grain transport ships carrying Ukrainian goods near the coast of Romania.

Videos and photographs shared on social media from Sochi—a popular Black Sea resort city of nearly 500,000 inhabitants—show intense orange flames out at sea and a thick column of black smoke rising into the sky. Local authorities have restricted access to the coast and beaches.

In another incident this Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria stated that two commercial vessels had been attacked by drones in the first action against shipping within the exclusive economic zone of this NATO member country in the Black Sea. Bulgarian authorities have said they are investigating the origin of the drones, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed Russia for the attack, which was condemned by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev after an emergency meeting of his government. According to reports, the attack occurred about 80 miles (128 kilometers) off the coast of Bulgaria.

Zelensky warns of an imminent attack

Zelensky warned in his message last night that a “massive attack” by Russia would likely occur, and during the early hours of Wednesday Kyiv received Russian attacks that caused damage to buildings and warehouses throughout the Ukrainian capital, as explained by the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, on Telegram. Another Russian attack against the city of Dnipro, in southeastern Ukraine, has caused damage to an industrial facility, according to authorities.

Kyiv is suffering an increase in attacks as winter approaches, with Russian aerial bombardments directed against energy infrastructure and against rail and road transport, including the bridges that connect the city over the Dnieper River.