19 June 2026
(PHOTO: rbc.ua)
The ports of Odesa are once again at risk, even though they should remain a safe route for international trade. Yet another attack in the Black Sea has shown that the threat to civilian shipping persists even far from the front lines.
This was reported by Oleg Kipper, head of the Odessa Regional State Administration.
On the evening of June 18, Russian drones attacked two foreign civilian vessels in the Black Sea as they were leaving Ukrainian ports. According to Ukrainian authorities, the vessels struck were flying the flags of Panama and St. Kitts and Nevis.
As a result of the attack, one crew member was killed on one of the vessels, and two other sailors were injured. Three crew members were injured on the second vessel. They were provided with the necessary medical assistance.
Despite the attack, both vessels subsequently resumed their voyages. Port infrastructure continues to operate, taking into account the security situation and existing threats. The Ukrainian side emphasizes that attacks on civilian vessels constitute yet another violation of international law and pose risks to global food security.
Attacks on the merchant fleet in the Black Sea also jeopardize the stability of maritime transport and the safety of international shipping.
In early June, two Ukrainian civilian search-and-rescue vessels were attacked by Russian forces while carrying out a humanitarian mission within the Ukrainian maritime corridor. As explained by the Ukrainian Navy, bothvesselswere marked with “SAR” (Search and Rescue), indicating their purpose of searching for and rescuing people at sea, so it was impossible to mistake them for military vessels.
On the morning of May 18, while transiting the Ukrainian corridor toward the entrance to the port of Chornomorsk, Russia attacked a civilian vessel flying the Panamanian flag. The vessel sustained damage, and a fire broke out, which the crew extinguished on their own.
Анна Бальчінос