Russian forces attacked a civilian vessel flying the Palau flag twice as it was leaving a port in the Odesa Region.
The Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport reported this.
The ship was carrying nearly 2,800 tonnes of corn.
As a result of the hits, a fire broke out on the bulk carrier. Specialists have already rescued seven crew members and a Ukrainian pilot, but two more sailors are currently considered missing. The search-and-rescue operation is ongoing.
The ministry stressed that this was yet another deliberate Russian strike on civilian infrastructure and international shipping.
- In recent days, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyy said that foreign vessels are temporarily not calling at Ukrainian ports to avoid coming under Russian shelling.
- The feeder operator of Maersk Ukraine said it has temporarily suspended service to Ukraine via the Black Sea Fishing Port.
- Recently, Russia struck the civilian dry cargo vessel GOLDEN LEO (Guinea-Bissau flag, Turkish owner) with three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles as it was heading out of the combat zone carrying a grain cargo.
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that within a few days Russia had bombed at least three civilian cargo ships. Several dozen crew members were killed and wounded. So far, not a single vessel has passed through Ukraine’s Black Sea maritime corridor — and this is at the peak of the harvest.