Ukraine has sunk a 13,000-ton cargo ship linked to Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, in the Black Sea. The vessel, named Yanina, was struck by a Ukrainian marine drone in international waters, approximately 130 miles off the port of Novorossiysk. All 17 crew members were rescued before the ship went down.
Rosatom, headed by Alexei Likhachev, stated the vessel was carrying "civilian goods" and described the attack as "piracy and maritime robbery." FESCO, the ship's owner and part of Rosatom's group, is one of Russia's largest transport and logistics companies. The Yanina had sailed from the Suez anchorage on July 27, but its original loading port and intended Black Sea destination remain unclear. Since July 6, Ukraine reports having damaged or destroyed over 200 Russian vessels associated with its shadow fleet.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Western nations for additional air defense missiles following a significant Russian aerial assault on Kyiv. The attack resulted in nine deaths and 28 injuries, with missiles hitting residential buildings, a school, supermarkets, and a car wash. Among the fatalities was a police officer on duty, and four teenagers were among the wounded.
President Zelensky attributed the continued civilian casualties to a shortage of anti-ballistic defense systems, specifically mentioning the MIM-104 Patriot system. "Only one ballistic missile was shot down last night, simply because there are no missiles for the Patriot systems," he stated, suggesting this lack of defense encourages Russia's attacks. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the assault as a "hellish night," marking the second major attack of its kind in just two days.
<]]>Residents recounted fleeing to shelters as hypersonic missiles impacted, only to emerge to find their homes destroyed. "I've got nothing left, nothing. But at least I am alive, which is good," said one woman surveying the damage to her apartment block. At least 105 people were rescued from the rubble by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed its forces targeted military enterprises and logistics centers in Kyiv and the surrounding region, reportedly hitting the Artem defense plant and the TPP-5 power plant. This strike was part of a broader barrage that unleashed at least two dozen missiles within a 36-hour period.
<]]>In a separate development, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about allowing Ukraine to build Patriot missiles, stating that such advanced weaponry requires careful consideration regarding licensing.
<]]> <]]>