Zelensky reports strike by two Russian drones on civilian vessel

A civilian cargo ship, Royad Mammadov, which left the Ukrainian port of Izmail and was heading to Ravenna, Italy, sank in the Black Sea after a drone attack. According to the latest data from Romanian services, two crew members died, and 11 others were rescued.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the ship was attacked by two Russian drones. According to his information, the vessel was carrying corn, belonged to a Turkish company, and had citizens of Azerbaijan and India on board.

Initially, Zelensky reported the death of the ship's captain and said that the fate of one more sailor was being determined. Eleven crew members had already been rescued at that time.

Later, Romanian services updated the casualty figures. According to Radio România, the captain and one other crew member died, and 11 sailors were rescued. After the fire, the ship sank.

The incident occurred outside Romania's territorial waters - in its exclusive economic zone, approximately 30 nautical miles south of Saint George. The vessel was sailing under the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis. Its registered owner is Turkish company MG Shipping 5 Co Ltd.

Romanian authorities confirmed the fire on board, the deaths, and the rescue operation, but have not officially established the origin of the drones. The Ukrainian side directly identifies them as Russian.

"Ukraine has repeatedly proposed concrete steps for de-escalation and ensuring security in the Black Sea. There were also relevant proposals from third countries. But Russia consistently chooses terror and sinking of civilian ships instead of normal navigation", - Zelensky stated.

This is far from the first attack on civilian shipping associated with Ukrainian ports. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported that on September 17, a Russian drone attacked a Tanzania-flagged vessel heading to one of Ukraine's ports. The captain was killed and three other crew members were injured.

On September 23, according to the USPA, Russian forces attacked a cargo ship under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. A fire broke out on board, the crew was evacuated, but the captain died. Later, the authority also reported a strike on a civilian Liberia-flagged vessel in one of the ports of Odesa region - a sailor-mechanic was killed and three other sailors were wounded.

Ukraine states that such strikes pose a systemic threat to international commercial shipping and food exports via the Black Sea. Zelensky called on international partners to increase pressure on Russia to restore the safety of maritime routes and global food security.