Two Romanian villages were evacuated on Monday after a Russian drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker, setting it ablaze in southern Ukraine. The MT Orinda was hit while offloading liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail port, sparking fires with 16 crew members onboard. All crew were evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The strike was part of an overnight Russian attack involving two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 128 drones, according to Ukraine's air force. Ukrainian officials reported damage to energy and port infrastructure in the Odesa region, with one person injured.
Romanian authorities ordered the evacuation of people and animals from Plauru and another border village due to fears the tanker could explode. The tanker's cargo of liquefied natural gas, a flammable substance, prompted the precaution.
The attack occurred a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a deal to import energy resources through the region. Zelensky is seeking gas imports to help Ukraine through the approaching winter, amid ongoing Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.
