Panama-Flagged Ship Damaged by Russian Drone Near Odesa

Local authorities said the vessel was carrying corn and was damaged near the port of Chornomorsk, with injured crews receiving medical assistance.

A Panama-flagged ship was damaged by Russian drones at the port of Chornomorsk in southern Ukraine late on Wednesday, according to local authorities.

Crews aboard the vessel of unspecified nationalities were injured and received medical assistance, according to the Sea Ports Administration of Ukraine. The number of injured was not disclosed.

Chornomorsk is a port city in the Odesa region, located south of the regional capital, Odesa. It has repeatedly come under Russian attack, including during a major strike in November 2025.

The Sea Ports Administration of Ukraine, in its Telegram update on Wednesday evening, said the vessel was carrying corn and was struck while leaving the port of Chornomorsk.

“The vessel was transporting corn through the Ukrainian Corridor. As a result of the attack, there are injuries among the crew members. They are being provided with the necessary assistance,” the update says.

Oleh Kiper, governor of the Odesa region, reported a Russian attack late on Wednesday and said “a transport infrastructure facility, an administrative building, and three private residential buildings were damaged” in an update an hour following the one from the Sea Ports Administration of Ukraine.

However, Kiper said that no information on casualties had been received so far.

Similar Russian attacks targeting civilian vessels in the Black Sea have been documented previously, including incidents in which foreign crew members were killed.

On Jan. 2, Kyiv said Russian strikes targeted two cargo vessels off its southern Black Sea coast, killing a Syrian crew member aboard one of the ships.

Three days later, Kyiv said two more civilian ships in the Black Sea transporting food products were struck, including a tanker approaching the port carrying vegetable oil, and a second vessel leaving the port with a cargo of corn.