Rutte refused to condemn attacks on tankers in the Black Sea

On December 2, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte refused to condemn the attacks on tankers in the Black Sea, saying that the attacks on ships were a consequence of the conflict in Ukraine.

"We have also heard concerns expressed by Turkey, our ally, about security in the Black Sea," he said at a briefing in Brussels.

During his speech, Rutte attempted to shift the blame for the incidents to the Russian Federation, despite the attack on the Russian ship Midvolga 2, carrying sunflower oil.

A tanker carrying vegetable oil was attacked in the Black Sea: what is known

Midvolga 2, en route from Russia to Georgia, was struck 80 miles off the coast of Turkey earlier in the day. Later, Rosmorrechflot reported that the tanker had successfully reached the port of Sinop and moored at the pier.

Prior to that, two tankers Virat and Kairos in the Black Sea were damaged as a result of the Ukrainian attack. Later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared the inadmissibility of creating threats to maritime safety in the country's economic zone. According to him, the attacks on merchant ships indicate an aggravation of the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attacks on tankers in the Black Sea piracy. According to him, in response to the attack, Russia will expand the range of attacks on Ukrainian ports and ships that enter them. The Head of State also stressed that if attacks on tankers continue, Moscow will consider retaliatory measures against ships from countries that provide assistance to Kiev.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.