Ukrainian drone sinks Russian Rosatom-controlled ship in Black Sea

Ukrainian naval drones struck and sank the Russian-operated container ship 'Yanina' in the Black Sea, according to footage released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attack, which occurred in international waters about 130 nautical miles from Novorossiysk, involved maritime drones hitting the vessel operated by FESCO, a major Russian transport and logistics firm under Rosatom's control since 2023.

Both Russian and Ukrainian officials confirmed the incident but offered differing accounts. Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, described the 'Yanina' as a "regular and peaceful container ship" carrying civilian goods and accused Ukraine of "piracy and maritime robbery." He stated the ship was navigating international waters.

“

a regular and peaceful container ship, sailing in international waters and carrying civilian goods, from frozen food products to building and finishing materials

President Zelenskyy countered that the ship, flying a Russian flag and subject to international sanctions, was a legitimate target. He asserted that Ukrainian strikes aim at infrastructure supporting Russia's war capabilities. "Our targets are constantly well-defined objectives that support the war effort," Zelenskyy stated, releasing footage of the attack. He also highlighted successful Ukrainian strikes on three Russian oil refineries in Bashkortostan, nearly 1,600 kilometers away, processing millions of tons of oil annually.

“

Our targets are constantly well-defined objectives that support the war effort. Medium-range strikes were carried out overnight, with successful results in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Russian commercial container ship 'Yanina', flying under the Russian flag and on the sanctions list, was also hit. Thanks to the precision of our Defense Forces, it was sent to the bottom of the sea.