Oil Tankers intended for Bulgaria are a Legitimate Military Target for the Ukrainian Army

Black Sea tankers traveling with crude oil for "Lukoil" from Novorossiysk to the "Rosenets" terminal near the Bulgarian city of Burgas are a legitimate military target of the Ukrainian army. This became clear from the words of Volodymyr Zelensky's economic advisor Oleg Ustenko. In an interview with "Politico" on August 8, Ustenko revealed Kyiv's decision: "Everything the Russians transport through the Black Sea is an essential military target to us. Ukraine is not kidding as it was shown by the breach in the SIG oil tanker, the photos of which appeared on social networks on Friday.

Footage of Russian oil tanker SIG with visible damage to the side after it was hit by a Ukrainian naval drone. pic.twitter.com/W4lO2DJR1d

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Ukraine's State Service for Sea and River Transport has announced that six Russian ports - including Novorossiysk, Tuapse and Taman - will be part of the "military risk zone" until further notice. Crude oil tankers for Bulgaria also depart from Novorossiysk.

Ukraine is starting to get back at Russia with the same methods the Russians are using against Ukraine. Kyiv attacks all ships carrying Russian oil and oil products in the Black and Azov Seas. The problem is that a big share of cargo turned into targets is destined for the EU market. In turn, this means that sparks could fly between Kyiv and the West at any moment.

This is a kind of pressure on the West: "give us what we need for an effective counteroffensive, then we will not attack Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea" - explains Dr. Daniel Szeligowski, coordinator of the Eastern Europe program at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) in an interview for...