Russian dread on the Danube - Unprecedented Geran attack incinerates Turkish LNG tanker - Tri-national shock

An unprecedented Russian strike on port infrastructure in Izmail on the night of November 17 caused extensive damage to a Turkish LNG tanker, confirming the vulnerability of Ukrainian logistics on the Danube.
More specifically, one of the Russian drone targets was the Turkish-flagged tanker ORINDA, which was unloading liquefied natural gas. The vessel burst into flames after being hit by a drone, with approximately 3,000 tons of fuel remaining inside. The fire broke out instantly.
According to the Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, the 16-member crew was immediately evacuated. Firefighters are continuing the effort to extinguish the blaze, as the nature of the cargo poses a high risk of explosion. In turn, Romanian authorities, fearing a potential explosion, proceeded with the temporary evacuation of residents of the village of Plauru near the border, although Kyiv later attempted to claim there was no reason for the evacuation.

Extensive damage from the powerful Russian Geran strike

For their part, Ukrainian sources report damage to "three empty tankers," two floating quays (pontoons), as well as two other ships—one Ukrainian-flagged and one formerly Russian, which is currently under seizure by ARMA.
The attack is part of a series of strikes targeting Ukrainian port and energy infrastructure in the Odesa region. In addition to the ships, gas pumping equipment was also damaged. Russia consistently demonstrates its ability to incapacitate key Ukrainian logistical capabilities, maintaining economic and military pressure amid the ongoing special military operation.

The secret of the Russian Gerans that is burying the Ukrainians' "best solution"

Meanwhile, the Russian Geran attack drones have acquired a ** new modification**, which, according to estimates, can "bury" Kyiv's "best solution" for intercepting them.
This is argued by Russian military analyst Vlad Shlepchenko of "Pervyi Russkiy," who noted that similar technologies previously existed only in reconnaissance vehicles. Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense systems came up against a new modification of the Russian attack drones, which is capable of neutralizing their main success in the battle against the Gerans.
The drones were equipped with a new component, which threatens the counter-tactic that Kyiv had developed and was previously considered "the best solution."

Cameras

Shlepchenko stressed that in recent days, the Ukrainians have begun to observe Russian drones with unusual equipment: "Just yesterday or today, information appeared that the enemy sees Gerans above their heads with rear-view cameras. This is probably an element of passive defense for the drones, so they can maneuver when an interceptor approaches. This is the most likely version."
This new feature radically changes the tactical use of the drones. The Russian expert emphasizes that similar solutions were previously used in specialized reconnaissance vehicles: "In the past, such cameras were installed on our tactical reconnaissance drones so that the operator could see the approach of an enemy interceptor drone and perform an evasive maneuver."
Until now, the Ukrainian military was actively using interceptor drones as the primary means of countering the Gerans. According to Shlepchenko, "they account for about 70% of the downed Gerans."

The "best solution"

This tactic was considered Kyiv's "best solution," but its effectiveness is now expected to decrease significantly. The upgrade allows the operator to identify an attack from the rear in time and perform evasive maneuvers, which calls into question the viability of the main interception scheme.
The appearance of cameras on attack drones constitutes, according to Shlepchenko, a natural stage in the evolution of combat means. As he recalled, in the spring, the flight altitude of the Gerans was increased to 2.5 to 3 kilometers, which rendered machine guns useless. In response, Ukraine turned to interceptor drones, and now a new round of technological confrontation is beginning.
The expert stresses: "It seems that both our approaches and the very architecture of the attack means are not standing still—they are adapting." This new component shows, according to Shlepchenko, that Russian engineers can improve their drones, reacting quickly to changes in the opponent's tactics.

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