Turkish-operated cargo ship hit in drone attack off Russian Black Sea port

A Turkish-operated cargo ship was hit in an apparent Ukrainian drone attack off the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk late on Monday.

According to Türkiye’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs (DGM), the Cameroon-flagged Nadezhda was sailing from Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Samsun when it was attacked by drones.

Russian vessels evacuated the crew from the ship, which sustained damage to its bow and living quarters, the DGM said. Initial reports indicated that three people on board were injured.

The Nadezhda had a crew of 22, including 13 Turkish citizens, according to the DGM. Turkish media reported that the vessel was operated by Samsun-based Kalyoncu Shipping and had been carrying fruit and vegetables from Türkiye to Russia.

Although Turkish authorities did not identify the perpetrator, the ship’s captain, Yalcin Sahin, was quoted by Turkish media as saying that six or seven Ukrainian drones had struck the vessel. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted civilian ships near Russia’s Black Sea and Sea of Azov coasts, as well as tankers off the Turkish coast.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks on cargo ships in recent months in an effort to disrupt Russia’s logistics. Russia has also increased strikes on vessels it says were transporting military equipment to Ukraine.

On July 25, Ukraine struck an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, killing one sailor. Tehran has denied that the vessel was carrying military cargo and vowed to retaliate. Kyiv initially dismissed Iran’s threats as “unjustified” but later stated that it would not intentionally target a civilian ship and that it sought to avoid escalation with Iran.