Ukraine Accuses Russia of Fresh Drone Strikes on Civilian Vessels in Black Sea Food Corridor

Kyiv has reported that Russian forces launched drone attacks on two civilian merchant ships in the Black Sea, both carrying food-related cargoes, in the latest escalation targeting Ukraine’s maritime trade routes.

According to Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development Oleksiy Kuleba, one incident involved a drone striking a tanker registered under the Panamanian flag. The vessel was anchored awaiting entry to a port to load vegetable oil when the attack occurred, igniting a fire onboard and injuring one crew member.

In a separate assault, a ship flying the San Marino flag was hit while departing a port laden with corn. Kuleba described these incidents as deliberate strikes on civilian shipping, international commerce, and navigational security, shared via his Telegram channel.

Odesa Regional Governor Oleg Kiper confirmed the attacks took place in the vicinity of the Chornomorsk port along Ukraine’s southern coastline.

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These events form part of a broader pattern during Russia’s nearly four-year invasion, where Moscow has repeatedly targeted vessels bound for or departing from Ukrainian ports. Ukrainian authorities have characterized such actions as a “terror” campaign designed to disrupt the country’s vital agricultural exports.

Russia has consistently rejected claims of deliberately hitting civilian targets and has maintained that vessels approaching Ukrainian ports could be regarded as transporting military supplies.

The incidents underscore ongoing risks to neutral-flagged commercial traffic in the Black Sea, a critical artery for global food supplies despite the absence of the former UN-brokered grain deal. Ukrainian officials continue to highlight threats to international trade amid persistent hostilities in the region.