Kyiv says Russia hit two cargo vessels in Black Sea, Syrian crew member killed

KYIV - Ukraine said on Jan 9 that Russia had hit two cargo ships off its south coast in the Black Sea, killing a Syrian crew member on board one of the vessels.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said in a statement that one ship had been sailing along Ukraine’s maritime export corridor to pick up a grain cargo at the port of Chornomorsk, and was under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The other, near the Odesa port, was under the flag of the Comoros Islands and was carrying soybeans.

“Unfortunately, the attack resulted in the death of a crew member, a Syrian citizen,” Mr Kuleba added.

“This is yet another example of Russia deliberately targeting civilian objects, international shipping, and food logistics,” he added.

Mr Kuleba posted images that showed ships bearing the names Ladonna and Wael K on their hulls. According to MarineTraffic, a ship tracking website, the Ladonna is a 157m bulk carrier and the Wael K is a 115m general cargo ship.

Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of attacking cargo vessels transporting food products to and from Ukraine in the Black Sea. The deep-water seaports in the Odesa region are crucial for Ukraine’s commodity-heavy economy to export its products.

In December, Ukraine blamed Russia for

attacks on two Turkish cargo ferries:

one transporting sunflower oil and another loaded with fresh fruits, vegetables and other food supplies.

Moscow has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's maritime export arteries over the last two months as retaliation for

attacks on “shadow fleet” tankers

heading to Russia to export its oil.

Ukraine's seaport authority told Reuters on Jan 7 that the number of Russian attacks on ports in the Odesa region had almost tripled from the previous year to 96 in 2025. AFP, REUTERS