Russia launched missile and drone strikes on the two largest seaports in Odesa Oblast — Odesa and Chornomorsk. In Chornomorsk, a Turkish civilian vessel was damaged by one of the strikes.
Photo: SES of Ukraine
According to footage from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the bulk carrier CENK T, owned by a Turkish company and sailing under a Panamanian flag, was damaged. The vessel caught fire after being hit.
Reportedly, before the attack, the bulk carrier was en route from the Turkish port of Karasu towards Romanian Sulina, transporting containers for the Turkish company AKSA, which manufactures generators.
The strikes were carried out with Iskander-M missiles and Shahed drones, launched from the territory of Crimea.
Last week, Vladimir Putin threatened to expand strikes on Ukrainian ports and vessels entering them, after Ukraine attacked Russian 'shadow' tankers. He stated that Russia 'can cut off Ukraine from the sea,' accusing Kyiv of 'piracy'.
Previously, Russian tankers Kairos, Virat, and Dashan, which were transporting oil, came under Ukrainian attacks.
In addition to the Turkish bulk carrier in Chornomorsk, a Russian strike also hit a container transshipment facility in the port of Odesa. According to Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, one employee of a private company was injured.
The attack occurred on the same day that a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in Ashgabat. The Turkish president called on both sides — Russia and Ukraine — to cease strikes on energy facilities and ports.
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