Russian Drone Attack on Black Sea Kills Sailor

A Russian drone attack on civilian vessels in the Black Sea killed one crew member and wounded five others, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksiy Kuleba said.

According to Kuleba, the attack struck two foreign-flagged vessels on Friday.

A crew member aboard a Panama-flagged vessel was killed in the attack, while two other sailors were injured, and one of the wounded remains in critical condition.

A second vessel sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was also hit, with three members of its crew sustaining minor injuries.

The crews’ nationalities were not disclosed.

Kuleba described the strike as further evidence that Russia is targeting freedom of navigation, international trade, and global food security.

“Civilian crews, merchant vessels, and maritime infrastructure supporting humanitarian and export routes remain under attack,” he said.

Kuleba called on the international community to treat such attacks as acts of terrorism and said the world should not become accustomed to civilian sailors being targeted by Russian weapons.

He also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased sailor.

Lack of security

Friday’s attack is the latest incident in which merchant vessels are targeted in the Black Sea.

In January, Russian drones struck a tanker carrying vegetable oil as it approached Ukrainian ports and another ship transporting corn as it departed. In April, a Liberia-flagged grain vessel was set ablaze after it was struck by a Russian drone.

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In May, the Vanuatu-flagged cargo ship ANT, sailing from southern Ukraine’s Odesa region to Turkey, was also struck by a drone in the Black Sea.

The attack resulted in a fire and injured two crew members. However, the vessel was later evacuated and the blaze extinguished.

On June 6, Russia struck two small coastal rescue boats on a humanitarian mission operated by Ukraine’s state-run Maritime Search and Rescue Service.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, saying it is essential to ensure long-term security in the Black Sea.

Turkey has sought to maintain its role as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow while also supporting initiatives to protect navigation in the region.