New Delhi, July 19 -- NOVOROSSIYSK - A drone strike set fire to the oil tanker Asia at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's marine terminal on Russia's Black Sea coast early Sunday, striking two laden vessels at their offshore moorings and halting oil loading operations in what the consortium described as the fifth act of direct aggression against the facility since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began reaching into the region's energy infrastructure.

The Asia, a Liberian-flagged tanker carrying crude from the Tengizchevroil joint venture in western Kazakhstan, was struck at single point mooring one. Alongside it, the Nissos Ios, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel loading cargo from the Kashagan and Maten projects, was hit at mooring three. CPC...