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Ukraine Reportedly Hits Russian Ship Carrying Iranian Weapons With 12 Drone Strikes
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Ukraine reportedly carried out a drone attack against a sanctioned Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea, striking the vessel 12 times as it allegedly transported Iranian weapons and armored vehicles to Russia.
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According to reports published on September 6, the Russian-flagged Lady Maria was attacked by drones equipped with systems for dropping munitions while sailing in the Mediterranean. Footage circulating online appears to show multiple strikes against the vessel, followed by a fire on board.
❗️Drones attacked the sanctioned vessel Lady Maria (IMO 9220641) in the Mediterranean Sea near Crete, which was carrying weapons for Russia; the hits caused a small fire. The vessel left Algerian Oran and was heading to Syria. It is under US sanctions (as STELLA-MARIA) and… pic.twitter.com/ruCIWIpW3F
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) September 6, 2026
Russian opposition journalist Alexander Nevzorov, who published footage of the attack, claimed that Lady Maria sustained 12 direct hits and that the drones were launched from Libyan territory. He also reported that the ship was carrying a shipment of Iranian weapons and armored vehicles from Algeria intended for Russia.
Neither Ukrainian authorities nor other official sources have confirmed Ukraine’s involvement in the attack. The reported contents of the vessel’s cargo and the claim that the drones were launched from Libya have also not been independently verified.
Ship-tracking data showed that Lady Maria, IMO 9220641, had departed the Algerian port of Oran before sailing into the Mediterranean. Recent tracking information placed the vessel near Sicily, while earlier route data indicated that it had passed near Crete in the direction of Syria.
The ship, currently named LADY MARIIA, is under US sanctions and was originally designated under its former name, STELLA-MARIA, due to its connection to Russian shipping company MG-Flot LLC, formerly known as TransMorFlot LLC. Ukraine also sanctioned the vessel on May 23, 2026.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) identifies Lady Maria as a vessel involved in transporting military cargo and weapons for Russia. According to HUR, the ship has operated on the Novorossiysk–Tartus route and has previously been linked to transporting weapons from Syria to Russia.
Earlier, Ukraine reportedly struck another Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Mediterranean, targeting a sanctioned vessel used to transport Russian oil despite Western restrictions.
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