Russia accuses Ukraine of involvement in Mediterranean gas tanker sinking incident

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of carrying out a terrorist attack on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker in the Mediterranean. The Arctic Metagaz, operated by Russian state-owned company Gazprom Neft, sank on Tuesday night after being hit by explosions and catching fire north of the port of Sirte, Libya.

According to Russia’s Transport Ministry, Ukrainian naval drones launched from the coast of Libya were responsible for the attack. The ministry stated that 30 crew members, all Russian nationals, were safe and thanked Maltese rescue services for their assistance. Russia has described the incident as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, violating fundamental norms of international maritime law.

The Libyan port authority reported that the Arctic Metagaz was carrying approximately 62,000 metric tons of LNG on its way to Port Said, Egypt. However, Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry denied any connection with the tanker, stating it was not listed under any contracts for LNG supplies or reception.

The incident has been sanctioned by the United States and European Union as part of Russia’s fleet of ageing tankers carrying oil and gas exports. Ukraine has previously targeted Russian energy infrastructure in an attempt to disrupt Russia’s war efforts. In December, Ukraine reported hitting a Russian tanker with aerial drones in the Mediterranean Sea, marking the first such strike in the region during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Al Jazeera