"The tanzanian-flagged vessel was hit by a russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while en route to one of ukraine's ports. The attack killed the captain and injured three crew members," Ukraine's Seaport Authority stated today.
Ukrainian officials did not release the name of the cargo ship, nor the nationalities of the captain and injured crew members.
On the same day, russia's defense ministry announced an attack on a dry cargo ship moving in waters about 11 km east of odesa port, alleging the vessel was "transporting supplies for the ukrainian military."
The incident occurs amidst intensified maritime conflict in the black sea and sea of azov, where both sides have targeted commercial and logistical vessels. In late june, Ukraine launched a "40-day pressure" offensive, primarily targeting russian oil refineries, oil depots, logistics centers, airports, and sites deep within russian territory and russian-controlled areas. During this period, ukrainian forces also attacked russian commercial ships and logistics vehicles in the black sea and sea of azov.
Analysts assessed that Kyiv achieved tactical successes but did not accomplish the campaign's main objective of pressuring Moscow to end the conflict. In response, Russia intensified its retaliation with missile and UAV strikes targeting ukrainian defense facilities producing UAVs for ukraine's operations.
The russian military also attacked cargo ships suspected of carrying weapons and military supplies for the opposing side in the black sea, and struck port infrastructure in odesa and mykolaiv provinces. Ukrainian media described these actions as a complete blockade of seaports, affecting export activities and causing significant economic problems for kyiv.
Consequently, Ukraine had to reroute to other transport routes after shipowners ceased calling at ports in odesa province. However, alternative options, including rail and the danube river, are limited.
Ukrainian minister of economy Oleksandr Kravchenko on 12/9 acknowledged that russia has effectively blockaded the enemy's seaports. He estimated that these operations and continuous attacks could cause damages equivalent to 1,5% of GDP.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, Pravda)
