Russian Drones Hit 2 Foreign Ships in Black Sea, Killing 1 and Injuring 5
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jun 19
Russian Drones Hit 2 Foreign Ships in Black Sea, Killing 1 and Injuring 5
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jun 19
Summary
Two foreign-flagged civilian ships were struck by Russian drones in the Black Sea on Thursday night, with one person killed and five injured, including one sailor in critical condition.
Ukraine said the vessels flew the flags of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Panama; Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said both ships were later moving again.
79 of 90 Russian drones were shot down overnight, but separate strikes still killed one person in Odesa, wounded four on a Kherson minibus and injured nine in Kharkiv.
The attacks followed Ukraine's strike on a Moscow oil refinery earlier Thursday, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a justified response and Kyiv's second hit on the facility this week.
Beyond Russia, is a wider shadow conflict now targeting the world’s most crucial shipping lanes?
When civilian ships are targets, has the line between modern warfare and war crimes vanished completely?
Is the Black Sea conflict about to ignite a new global crisis in food and energy prices?
Attacks on Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea: Operational, Legal, and Economic Consequences in 2026
Overview
Since Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, the Black Sea has become increasingly dangerous for civilian shipping. This risk escalated in June 2026, when several attacks were reported, including the sinking of the Turkish-flagged fishing vessel DURU 67 west of Crimea, which resulted in casualties among the crew. These incidents highlight a persistent pattern of attacks on civilian vessels, showing how the ongoing conflict continues to threaten maritime safety and disrupt vital shipping routes in the region.