Ukraine says it has sunk a Russian-operated containership in a bold Black Sea attack, marking another escalation in the ongoing maritime conflict between the two countries.
The 13,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) containership Yanina, operated by Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, was struck by two naval drones while sailing about 130 miles off the coast of Novorossiysk. The vessel later sank after sustaining heavy damage.
The 2005-built, 142-metre-long ship, with a capacity of 962 TEU, was reportedly operating on a regular FESCO liner service after being acquired during the company’s 2021 fleet expansion. Ship tracking data indicated that the vessel had departed from India before the attack.
Rosatom confirmed the overnight strike and said a Turkish-owned containership, Delphius, under the command of an Egyptian captain, rescued 16 of the 17 crew members from the sea. The remaining crew member was later located and safely airlifted by a Russian Black Sea Fleet helicopter.
Reacting to the incident, Rosatom Chief Executive Alexey Likhachev condemned the attack, insisting the ship was carrying only civilian cargo.
“It was a perfectly ordinary, peaceful containership, sailing in international waters and carrying civilian goods—from frozen foods to construction and finishing materials. Such an attack cannot be interpreted as anything other than piracy and robbery at sea,” he said.
Shipping company FESCO also acknowledged the incident, assuring customers that its operations remain unaffected.
In a statement on social media, the company said it “continues to operate as usual and fulfills all obligations to clients and partners.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the destruction of the vessel, describing it as a sanctioned Russian containership. He said the operation formed part of broader overnight attacks targeting Russian assets, including strikes in the Sea of Azov and three Russian oil refineries.
“Thanks to the precision of our Defense Forces, it was sent to the bottom,” Zelensky said.
The attack highlights the growing risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea, with both Russia and Ukraine increasingly accusing each other of using civilian vessels for military-related purposes.
Ukraine told an OSCE conference that Russia has attacked 2,343 vessels since the war began, with more than 30 ships reportedly struck during the summer of 2026. Kyiv also said 1,054 port infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, leaving more than 300 Ukrainian and foreign nationals dead or injured.
The deteriorating security situation has prompted several international shipping companies to reassess operations in the region. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended container feeder services to Ukrainian ports, while Russia has reportedly tightened restrictions on vessel movements in the Sea of Azov following repeated Ukrainian attacks.
The latest incident underscores the growing danger to commercial shipping as the war increasingly extends beyond the battlefield into critical maritime trade routes.
