Russia Strikes Turkish-Owned Cargo Ship Leaving Ukraine’s Odesa Region, Injuring Crew

Russian forces attacked a Turkish-owned cargo ship with a drone after the vessel departed from a port in Ukraine’s Odesa region, Ukraine’s Navy reported on May 29.

The strike hit the ship’s superstructure, causing a fire and injuring crew members.

According to the Ukrainian military, the vessel was the cargo ship ANT, sailing under the flag of Vanuatu and owned by a Turkish company. It was heading to a Turkish port with cargo on board.

“Two wounded crew members were quickly evacuated by boats of the Ukrainian Navy and taken to a medical facility,” the Navy said.

The fire on board was quickly contained thanks to the rapid response of Ukraine’s Navy and the Maritime Search and Rescue Service.

The attack adds to Russia’s repeated strikes on civilian maritime traffic and port infrastructure in and around Ukraine’s Odesa region, a key corridor for Black Sea exports.

Earlier, a Russian Shahed attack drone struck a Chinese merchant vessel in the Black Sea, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.

According to Pletenchuk, there were no immediate reports of casualties following the strike, and the vessel was able to continue moving after the attack.

“To deliberately strike a Chinese vessel with a Chinese crew ahead of a trip to China. What do you know about the Russian dictator’s ‘multi-step genius’? That is Moscow diplomacy,” Pletenchuk wrote.

In addition, a Russian strike damaged a Panama-flagged civilian cargo ship on approach to Chornomorsk port on the morning of May 18, the third commercial vessel hit in Russian attacks off Odesa in a single day.

On the Frontline of Truth

Our reporters work on the frontlines to show what’s really happening in Ukraine. Your support helps them keep reporting.

SUPPORT