Russian-Owned Cargo Ship Sunk in Black Sea After Ukrainian Drone Strike, Rosatom Says
Rosatom says at least two Ukrainian drones struck and sank a Russian-owned container ship near Novorossiysk early Saturday, with all 17 crew members rescued. No nuclear-related cargo was indicated.
Russia's state nuclear operator Rosatom said Ukrainian drone strikes sank a Russian-owned container ship in the Black Sea early Saturday. The vessel, named Yanina, was sailing near the port of Novorossiysk when at least two Ukrainian drones hit it, according to Rosatom.
The ship was operated by Rosatom's shipping subsidiary FESCO and carried civilian goods, including frozen food and construction materials. Rosatom said there was no immediate sign that the vessel was linked to its nuclear activities or carried nuclear material.
Rosatom said in a Telegram statement that the crew abandoned the ship in an organized manner after it began to sink. All 17 members were rescued and are in good condition. The statement quoted Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev as saying that 'such an attack cannot be interpreted as anything other than piracy and robbery at sea.'
Ukraine did not immediately comment. Kyiv has targeted Russian-flagged ships in the Black Sea throughout the nearly four-and-a-half-year war. Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of using the waterway to transport sanctioned goods, including oil.
Since the start of the war, Russia has launched multiple strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and ships approaching Ukrainian ports. Kyiv calls these attacks war crimes.
