A Malta-flagged oil tanker was damaged by drones in the Black Sea this week, and Russia has blamed Ukraine for the attack, international media report.

The tanker, called Matilda, is owned by a Greek company and was chartered by a Kazakh oil firm. It was sailing near the Russian port of Anapa in the Krasnodar region on January 13 when it was struck. No crew members were injured, and the ship later reached waters near Romania on Thursday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said the ship was hit by two Ukrainian drones. Greece condemned the attack and said its foreign minister would raise the issue with European partners. Kazakhstan also criticised the strike.

The tanker was preparing to load oil when it was attacked. A fire broke out on board but was quickly put out. The ship's owners told Reuters that the damage can be repaired.

Another tanker, Delta Harmony, was also reported to have been hit. Both vessels were heading toward the Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka oil terminal, which handles oil from Kazakhstan for international markets as well as some Russian crude.

Ukraine has recently increased its drone attacks on Russian facilities as part of its effort to pressure Moscow during the war. The same oil terminal was targeted in November, and Kazakhstan's oil exports fell the following month.