Ukrainian Drones Attacked Cargo Vessel That Sank, ...
12 hours ago
A Russian cargo ship carrying grain sank in the Sea of Azov on April 5 after what Russian officials said was a Ukrainian drone attack, in the latest escalation of Kyiv’s campaign against Moscow’s maritime logistics.
The vessel, identified as a river-sea Volgo-Balt class bulk carrier, was transporting wheat when it was struck and later went down off the coast of the Kherson region, according to Russian and Ukrainian reports. ?
A Russia-appointed official in occupied southern Ukraine said one crew member was killed and two were missing, while most of the crew managed to abandon ship and reach shore. ?Others reports suggested the death toll could be higher, though details remain unclear. ?
The incident marks a rare sinking of a grain-laden merchant vessel in the Azov–Black Sea basin since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, underscoring growing risks to commercial shipping in the region. ?
Kyiv has not officially claimed responsibility, but Ukrainian forces have increasingly used drones – both aerial and naval – to target Russian naval and logistics assets far beyond the front line.
In recent days, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian energy and maritime infrastructure. Drone attacks have hit oil terminals in Novorossiysk and refineries deeper inside Russia, causing fires and disrupting exports, according to officials and media reports. ?
Ukraine also said it had struck a Russian missile carrier and offshore infrastructure in the Black Sea, highlighting its expanding reach against military targets. ?
The campaign builds on earlier successes against Russia’s fleet. Since 2022, Ukrainian forces have damaged or destroyed multiple high-profile vessels, including the Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva and several landing ships, forcing Russia to relocate parts of its fleet away from Crimea. ?
More recently, Ukraine has broadened its focus to include commercial and “shadow fleet” shipping linked to Russian exports, including tankers and LNG carriers suspected of helping Moscow circumvent sanctions. ?
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