'This is Virat, mayday': Ukraine 'claims' strike on two Russian oil tankers

The two oil tankers, identified as the Kairos and Virat, were empty and sailing to Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black SeaSeaSea oil terminal, the official at the Security Service of Ukraine told Reuters.

Naval drones could be seen speeding towards hulking tankers followed by powerful explosions that caused fires on the vessels, video footage shared by the official showed.

Reuters could not independently verify the identity of the tankers in the clips or the location and date of the footage.