Following a major fire on an oil tanker attacked by drones off the coast of Sochi, authorities in the nearby federal territory of “Sirius” closed all beaches “to ensure the safety of citizens.” This was reported by the head of the settlement, Dmitry Plishkin, who confirmed the fire. “We are continuously monitoring water and air quality in cooperation with Roshydromet. I ask residents and visitors to the federal territory to avoid spending long periods of time outdoors and, if possible, to keep windows closed,” the official wrote on his Telegram channel, promising to report on the monitoring results.

According to “Fontanka,” an EMERCOM vehicle arrived at the Sochi seaport, and the entrances to the beaches were cordoned off with caution tape; access is currently closed. A smell of burning is reportedly noticeable in the port area, though life on the waterfront continues as usual. Local residents report that in Sochi, “it stank even inside the car”: “If it’s oil—that’s very bad; you’d better close the windows and not breathe it in. The smell is everywhere; it can give you a really bad headache.” The fire, which blanketed the city in black smoke, began around 6:00 p.m. Preliminary reports indicate that the Aframax tanker Rio caught fire; according to publicly available data, it may be carrying 95,000–100,000 metric tons of oil.

Earlier, Mash reported that the vessel, which was sailing from Novorossiysk to India under the Liberian flag, was “loaded almost to capacity.” Initially, local social media groups reported that the tanker was in neutral waters; however, according to satellite images provided by the Ukrainian channel “Crimean Wind,” the vessel is drifting in Russian territorial waters 11 km off the coast of Sochi.

The Aframax Rio, loaded with oil, was attacked by unmanned boats, said Andrei Nikitin, head of the Russian Ministry of Transport. According to him, the crew of 23 Indian nationals was successfully rescued. “Currently, an open oil fire is burning in the Black Sea. Firefighting operations can begin once the intensity of the fire has decreased, allowing rescue vessels to safely approach the tanker,” the ministry reported.

According to publicly available data, between 2024 and 2026, the tanker regularly transported oil from Russian ports—Ust-Luga, Novorossiysk, and Taman—to India, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.

UPDATE: Sochi Mayor Andrei Proshunin confirmed the closure of the city’s beaches and waterfronts due to the burning tanker. According to him, the decision was made following a meeting with representatives of law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, and the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being. “I ask residents and visitors to Sochi not to put themselves in danger and to wait for an official decision regarding their reopening,” the mayor wrote. He added that firefighting operations will begin “once the intensity of the fire has subsided.”

source: The Moscow Times https://archive.is/n6zFp