Russia says it struck two dry cargo vessels bound for Odesa

Russia said it targeted two dry cargo vessels heading towards the Port of Odesa in the northwestern Black Sea, as it continues its attacks on port and maritime transport infrastructure in Ukraine.

According to a statement by Russia’s Ministry of Defence, the vessels targeted while transiting the sea were allegedly carrying military supplies for the Ukrainian army to the Port of Odesa. The statement said the attack was carried out using unmanned aerial vehicles. No details were provided regarding the names or flags of the vessels, the condition of their crews, or the extent of the damage they sustained.

Northern Bridge also among the targets

The same statement also reported that the Northern Road Bridge over the Dnipro River in Kyiv was targeted. Russia claimed that the bridge was used for the deployment of Ukrainian forces and the transportation of military cargo.

There is currently no independent verification of Russia’s claim regarding the attack on the two vessels. Reuters also reported that the statements made by Russia’s Ministry of Defence could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority announced that a Liberian-flagged civilian cargo vessel was hit at a port in the Odesa region. One engine crew member was killed and three crew members were injured in the attack, while 13 people were evacuated. The incident was recorded as a separate development from Russia’s claim of an attack on two vessels in the northwestern Black Sea.