TAGANROG, Russia — Ukrainian forces struck multiple Russian cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov early on Friday, Ukrainian military officials said.
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said its drones hit five vessels carrying what it described as illegally obtained cargo in the Sea of Azov and coastal waters of Russian-occupied territories, including the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk.
The commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, said the targeted dry cargo ships and a tanker were involved in “stealing” Ukrainian grain and transferring military cargo and fuel, with their names painted over and radars turned off.
Two of the vessels, the Belize-flagged Natra and the Palau-flagged Zircon, were struck in Taganrog Bay, according to Russian and Azerbaijani statements. Each vessel sustained multiple hits around 5 a.m. local time, sparking fires.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that five of its citizens were killed and three others wounded in the attacks on the two ships, which had crews largely composed of Azerbaijani nationals. It noted that the vessels were not Azerbaijani state property.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the ships were sailing from Turkey to Rostov-on-Don when they came under Ukrainian drone attack.
Details on the full extent of damage to the vessels remained unclear. Russian authorities reported that survivors from at least one ship were rescued.
The strikes come amid ongoing naval operations in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov region, where both sides have targeted maritime assets. Ukraine has previously conducted drone and missile operations against Russian vessels and port infrastructure used for military logistics.
Russian officials have described the latest attacks as targeting civilian shipping. Ukraine maintains its operations focus on vessels supporting military efforts or involved in the export of goods from occupied territories.
As of Friday evening, no comprehensive casualty figures beyond the Azerbaijani crew members had been independently verified from both sides. Russian authorities have not issued a full official accounting of the incident.
The development follows other reported Ukrainian actions in recent days, including strikes on Russian patrol vessels and energy infrastructure, part of broader efforts in the maritime domain since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
