A drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker and set it ablaze in southern Ukraine's Odesa region, officials said, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a deal to import US liquefied natural gas through the area.

The MT Orinda was hit on Monday during the offloading of liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail port, Turkey's Directorate for Maritime Affairs said.

All 16 crew on board were evacuated and no one was hurt, it said.

Russia has used drones, missiles and artillery to repeatedly batter the Odesa region, especially its Black Sea ports, since its full-scale invasion of its neighbour nearly four years ago. There was no immediate Russia comment.

Ukrainian officials didn't comment specifically on the tanker, although regional military administration head Oleh Kiper said Russian

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