Drones hit 5 Russian grain ships in Black Sea, disrupting exports
Photo: Bulk carriers in the Black Sea (Getty Images)
At least five grain ships were attacked near the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse. This occurred amid intensified Ukrainian strikes, as Moscow attempts to continue grain exports, according to Bloomberg.
At least five grain ships were attacked near the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse. Four of them were hit on Tuesday morning, and another on Monday.
This is the first confirmation that the ships targeted were specifically grain ships serving the affected Russian ports.
Moscow has tried to downplay the extent of the damage, while an increasing number of shipowners are wary of the risks of calling at its ports amid intensifying Ukrainian attacks.
Ships affected
The Russian bulk carrier Victoria V, capable of carrying 7,000 metric tons of grain, was attacked in Novorossiysk, where it was scheduled to load wheat. The vessel Fehu, flying the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked after leaving the same port with a cargo of wheat—it was able to continue its voyage.
The Elina B, flying the Maltese flag, was struck by drones after loading about 56,000 metric tons of wheat in Novorossiysk and is now heading toward the Bosphorus. The bulk carrier Necibe, flying the San Marino flag, was attacked by drones in the port of Tuapse, where it was scheduled to load about 20,000 metric tons of wheat.
The fifth vessel, the Anna S, flying the Liberian flag, was en route to Novorossiysk to load barley when a drone strike caused a fire on board. As a result, the vessel was unable to continue its voyage.
According to Bloomberg, Russia and Ukraine have intensified their attacks on merchant ships and ports in the Black Sea, raising concerns about global grain supplies.
These two countries account for more than a quarter of global wheat exports, and the attacks are taking place in the midst of the harvest season.
Since July 10, drone attacks have completely halted shipments from Russian ports on the Sea of Azov, which account for a quarter of the country's grain exports. Last week, three terminals at the deep-water port of Novorossiysk announced they were suspending operations following one of the heaviest attacks since the start of the war.
On the night of August 12, the Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a massive strike on Novorossiysk, targeting a Russian naval base and port infrastructure.
Satellite imagery showed possible damage to grain and oil terminals, and a state of emergency was declared in the city.
