Turkish LPG Tanker Ablaze After Russian Drone Strike On Ukrainian Port

Another Russian overnight massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine has had some serious spillover effects, as the Turkish flagged LPG tanker “Orinda” carrying thousands of metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas was reportedly struck at the port of Izmail in Odesa.

The Turkish vessel was reportedly struck directly by a Russian drone, prompting the immediate evacuation of all 16 crew members, with no casualties reported.

Other civilian vessels were also damaged, with firefighting and emergency crews quickly dispatch to try and contain the blaze. At least a dozen commercial vessels have previously been damaged in similar Russian drone attacks on the port.

Romania is alarmed as the impacted port lies just across the border from the NATO country, and it has ordered the nearby village of Plauru along the Ukraine border to be evacuated.

The Orinda carries 4,000 tons of gas, and so the dangerous incident presents the risk of a major explosion, and containing the fire has proven difficult.

Some are calling for Turkey to take definitive action against Russia. For example Turkish member of parliament Ulaş Karasu (CHP) pointed out on X that “The drone attack targeting the liquefied gas carrier named MT Orinda, flying the Turkish flag, in the Black Sea shows that the war is now targeting Turkish seafarers as well.”

The Turkish politician continued:

Turkish seafarers cannot be left alone in the midst of war! The absence of loss of life is certainly a consolation for us, but the government cannot brush off this attack by calling it “isolated.” The safety of our ships and crew must be ensured!

🇷🇴 Romania evacuates village near Ukraine after Russian drone hits LNG tanker

Residents near Plauru were evacuated after a Russian drone strike in Ukraine’s Izmail area set fire to the Turkish-flagged LNG tanker ORINDA, carrying around 4,000 tons of liquefied gas, Euronews… pic.twitter.com/yNidsVTFaV

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 17, 2025

BBC says that it has verified the footage:

The footage appears to have been filmed from the small Romanian village of Plauru, just across the river.The village is now being evacuated due to the ship’s “proximity to Romanian territory and the nature of its cargo”, emergency services say.

Ordina is almost 125m (410ft) long and can hold up to 8292 cubic metres (1.8 million gallons) of fuel, according to ship tracking website Marine Traffic.

The incident demonstrates once again that the longer and more expanded the war on energy sites between Russia and Ukraine grows, the greater the risk of drawing external countries in. Various officials within NATO have long wanted Turkey to take harsher action against Russian shipping to international markets by cutting off access to the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits.