Russia’s defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces struck a cargo ship carrying military supplies in the Black Sea just south of the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
The ministry did not provide the vessel’s name or flag, but described it as transporting military equipment when it was hit.
The claim comes amid a pattern of maritime confrontations that have intensified since the start of the war, with Ukraine repeatedly targeting ships entering and leaving Russian ports in the Black Sea and the adjoining Sea of Azov.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of using commercial shipping routes to move war materiel, leading to a series of mutual strikes that have raised concerns over the safety of civilian vessels in the region.
The Black Sea remains a crucial corridor for trade and for the movement of supplies for both sides, and incidents such as this underscore the broader escalation of hostilities at sea.
<small>Source: Africanews — read the original story there.</small>
