Ukraine prepares steps after Russian attacks on civilian ships
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi (photo: facebook.com sergii.koretskyi)
Ukraine is preparing new measures to strengthen maritime security and better protect civilian sailors following Russia's missile strike on a civilian grain ship near Odesa, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi says.
Together with the military command, the Ukrainian government is preparing decisions aimed at improving shipping security and protecting civilian vessels and their crews from Russian attacks.
Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has also been instructed to immediately notify the countries whose citizens were affected by the attack, as well as Ukraine's international partners.
"Together with the military command, we are preparing decisions that will strengthen maritime security and help protect civilian vessels and sailors from Russia's criminal attacks," the prime minister said.
The vessel targeted by Russia was sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau and had departed the Port of Odesa after loading a cargo of corn. 17 citizens of Syria and India, along with a Ukrainian harbor pilot, were on board.
Despite the large fire on board, the Ukrainian Navy managed to rescue eight crew members. Two of them were injured and were hospitalized in Odesa.
Russia struck a civilian corn-loaded vessel with cruise missiles in Odesa on July 19 (photo: facebook.com/navy.mil.gov.ua)
As of now, the bodies of five crew members have been recovered. The fate of five others remains unknown.
Rescue teams were forced to withdraw to a safe distance due to the threat of another attack. A major fire continues to burn aboard the vessel, and firefighting efforts are ongoing.
"Ukraine is doing everything possible to locate and rescue the remaining foreign crew members," Premier Koretskyi added.
The prime minister called the strike a war crime and a violation of international law. According to him, Russia is deliberately undermining security in the Black Sea.
"Russia is committing war crimes and undermining Black Sea security by attacking civilian commercial vessels. This is an attack on freedom of navigation and the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," the prime minister said.
As previously reported, on the evening of July 19, Russian forces targeted the civilian bulk carrier GOLDEN LEO near Odesa, Ukraine, with cruise missiles.
The strike was far from the first deliberate attack on civilian shipping in the Black Sea. On July 18, Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on ports in the Odesa region, with a commercial vessel flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda also coming under attack.
