Russia hits civilian grain ship with cruise missiles, killing five
Outcomes of the Russian missile attack on a civilian grain vessel in Odesa, Ukraine, on July 19 (photo: facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua)
Russian forces attacked a civilian cargo ship carrying grain in the Black Sea with three cruise missiles. At least five people were killed in the strike, the Ukrainian Navy reports.
The target was the GOLDEN LEO bulk carrier, which sails under the flag of Guinea-Bissau and is owned by a Turkish company. At the time of the attack, the vessel was leaving the combat zone carrying a cargo of grain.
Russian forces launched three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles. The missiles struck the starboard side of the vessel's superstructure, sparking a fire on board. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Aftermath of Russia's missile attack on a civilian vessel on July 19 in Odesa, Ukraine (photo: facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua)
Aftermath of Russia's missile attack on a civilian vessel on July 19 in Odesa, Ukraine (photo: facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua)
Aftermath of Russia's missile attack on a civilian vessel on July 19 in Odesa, Ukraine (photo: facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua)
Casualties
Five people were killed in the attack. The fate of five other crew members remains unknown, and search efforts are ongoing. As of 8:30 p.m. local time, eight sailors had been evacuated to a hospital in Odesa.
The Ukrainian Navy and the Maritime Search and Rescue Service were involved in the rescue operation.
The Ukrainian Navy stressed that this was not the first deliberate Russian strike on an unarmed civilian vessel sailing under a foreign flag.
"This is yet another deliberate Russian attack on an unarmed civilian vessel under a foreign flag that posed no military threat. The strike is an act of terror against peaceful shipping and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law," the statement said.
As previously reported, this is not the first deliberate Russian attack on civilian ships in the Black Sea in recent weeks.
On July 17, a Russian drone struck the Venturo bulk carrier, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, in the Port of Odesa.
On July 18, Russian forces launched another large-scale attack on ports in the Odesa region, with a commercial vessel flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda coming under attack.
