Russia struck a foreign vessel that was heading to Odessa to pick up grain
24 April 10:14
On the night of April 24, Russian drones attacked a civilian merchant ship flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which was heading to one of the ports in the Greater Odessa area to load grain. This was reported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Community and Territorial Development and the Maritime Administration, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
What is known about the attack on the ship
According to the Ukrainian side, the strike occurred while the ship was traveling through the Ukrainian maritime corridor.
“Russian UAVs attacked a civilian merchant ship that was traveling through the maritime corridor to Odesa to load grain,” the statement said.
The attack caused a fire on board, which the crew extinguished on their own.
The navigation system also malfunctioned, but the ship remained afloat, and there were no reports of casualties or injuries at the time of the initial reports.
Ukraine dispatched a patrol boat to escort the damaged vessel to ensure safe passage and provide assistance to the crew.
Ukrainian officials called this strike yet another attack by Russia on civilian shipping and international food security.
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Under which flag was the ship sailing and where was it headed
According to the Ministry of Development, the vessel was a merchant ship flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
It was a bulk carrier heading to one of the ports of Greater Odessa to load grain.
“A bulk carrier flying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis, which was heading to one of the ports of Greater Odessa, was struck by two drones,” the statement said.
An attack on a civilian vessel carrying grain is significant not only for Ukraine but also for international trade. The maritime corridor used by merchant ships remains a critically important route for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
That is why any attack on civilian shipping near the ports of Odesa is perceived as a blow to logistics, insurance risks, and the stability of food supplies.
This is not the first attack on civilian vessels near Odesa
This is not the first time Russia has attacked foreign commercial vessels operating on Ukrainian shipping routes.
During a previous drone strike near Izmail, two civilian vessels flying foreign flags—specifically Panamanian and Liberian—were damaged. One of them was also traveling through the maritime corridor to load corn and, after a fire, continued its journey without any casualties among the crew.
Also, in January 2026, a Russian strike drone had already hit a vessel flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which was heading to Chornomorsk to load grain. There were casualties among the crew at that time.
In the first quarter of 2026, Ukrainian ports fulfilled 98% of their cargo transshipment plan—21.1 million tons of cargo—despite attacks occurring every five days.
Since the beginning of this year, 193 port infrastructure facilities and 25 civilian vessels have been damaged.
The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development emphasized that this strike is yet another example of Russia’s actions against global food security.
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