Ukraine President Condemns 'Horrific' Russian Strike on Corn Vessel
Zelensky states the attack on a Turkish-owned ship in the Black Sea killed the captain and left one sailor missing, while 11 others were rescued.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced a "horrific" Russian drone attack on a civilian vessel carrying corn in the Black Sea. The strike killed the ship's captain and left another sailor unaccounted for, while 11 crew members were rescued.
Romania reported that its coast guard mounted a rescue mission after a fire erupted on the vessel, identified as the Royad Mammadov, outside its territorial waters. The Romanian interior ministry stated that two deceased individuals were recovered.
Zelensky described the vessel as being in neutral waters and owned by Turkey. He asserted that Russia consistently chooses "terror and sinking civilian vessels instead of normal maritime navigation." He added that "Pressure is needed to restore global food security" and urged those genuinely interested to provide assistance.
Russia has not yet commented on the specific incident. However, its defense ministry previously announced strikes on two cargo vessels, framing them as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and ships in the Black Sea.
Earlier in the week, Russia's defense ministry stated it would intensify strikes across Ukraine in response to Zelensky's remarks about increasing attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Ukraine contends that these attacks are necessary to disrupt the Kremlin's funding of the war initiated by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged last week that Ukraine had achieved some success with its refinery attacks, resulting in a loss of approximately 1% of Russia's GDP. He has also increased his rhetoric against Ukraine's Western allies, reiterating threats of nuclear weapon use. This follows a surge in hybrid warfare incidents attributed to Russia, particularly in Poland and the Baltic states. German intelligence officials have warned of ongoing threats from Russia, indicating that Germany is at risk of becoming involved in a conflict with Russia, which is reportedly waging a "shadow war."