Russian forces attacked two civilian vessels near the Ukrainian ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk on 9 January, killing one crew member and injuring others, Ukrainian officials said.
“Russia carried out another act of terror against civilian shipping - two vessels were hit,” Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for restoration, said. He added that the attack was “clear evidence that Russia deliberately targets civilian infrastructure, international shipping, and food logistics.”
The strikes targeted ships sailing under foreign flags and operating within Ukraine’s maritime export routes, according to Kuleba.
Soybean carrier struck near Odesa
Near the port of Odesa, Russian forces hit a vessel flying the flag of the Comoros that was carrying soybeans. One crew member, a Syrian national, was killed in the attack.
Second vessel hit approaching Chornomorsk
A second strike occurred as a civilian vessel under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was sailing toward the port of Chornomorsk to load grain as part of the Ukrainian maritime corridor. A Russian strike drone hit the ship, with preliminary reports indicating injuries among the crew.
Kuleba said the vessel’s seaworthiness was not compromised and it remains under its own power, heading toward the nearest port. Rescue units were dispatched to the scene.
“Ukraine is doing everything possible to guarantee security and fulfill its export obligations, despite constant attacks,” Kuleba said.
