Russian drones hit two foreign‑flagged civilian ships in the Black Sea on Thursday night, killing one person and injuring five sailors (one critically). Ukrainian officials said the vessels — one registered to Saint Kitts and Nevis and one Panamanian‑flagged — have since resumed movement. The strikes were part of a wider wave of Russian attacks that also caused casualties and damage in Odesa, Kherson and Kharkiv, while Ukrainian air defenses reportedly downed most incoming drones. Earlier the same day Kyiv carried out a large strike on a Moscow oil refinery, which President Zelenskyy described as a justified response.
Russian Drones Strike Two Foreign‑Flagged Civilian Ships In Black Sea, Ukraine Says
Russian drones hit two foreign-flagged civilian ships in the Black Sea, Ukraine says
Ukrainian officials reported that Russian drones struck two foreign‑flagged civilian vessels in the Black Sea on Thursday night, killing one person and wounding five sailors, one of whom is in critical condition.
Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration, said one vessel was registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis and the other flew the Panamanian flag. 'This is yet another proof that Russia is waging a war against freedom of navigation, international trade, and global food security,' he wrote.
Image shared by Oleh Kiper.- Oleh Kiper/X
Oleh Kiper, governor of Odesa region, said both ships have since resumed movement. The strikes came amid a broader overnight wave of Russian attacks across southern and eastern Ukraine.
Local officials reported multiple civilian casualties and damage: a strike in southern Odesa ignited a fire at a truck parking area that killed one person and injured four; a Russian drone hit a minibus in Kherson, sending a 46‑year‑old woman and three men (67, 46 and 59) to hospital with blast and shrapnel wounds; and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said a guided‑bomb strike on the Kholodnohirskyi District injured nine people and damaged more than 40 homes.
Ukraine's air force said local air defenses shot down 79 of 90 incoming drones between Thursday evening and Friday morning. Earlier the same day, Ukrainian forces struck a Moscow oil refinery, with social media footage showing a large explosion and fire. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the refinery strike on X, calling it 'a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities.' Kyiv had targeted the same refinery earlier in the week as part of efforts to disrupt Russia's energy infrastructure.
Note: Casualty numbers and other details were reported by Ukrainian officials; independent verification and further investigation may follow.
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