Russian forces strike two civilian vessels near Ukrainian ports, casualties reported

Russian forces attacked two civilian vessels sailing near Ukrainian ports on Friday, resulting in casualties, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Community Development, Oleksii Kuleba.

Kuleba said a Russian attack drone struck a vessel sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis — an island nation in the eastern Caribbean — as it was heading to load grain within Ukraine’s grain corridor framework.

“Unfortunately, as a result of the attack, a crew member, a Syrian national, was killed. This is a horrific war crime,” Kuleba wrote on social media.

He also reported that near the port of Odesa, Russian forces attacked another civilian ship sailing under the flag of the Comoros Islands. The vessel was transporting soybeans. Preliminary information indicates that there are injured crew members and rescue teams have been dispatched to the scene.

“This is yet another confirmation that Russia is deliberately targeting civilian objects, international shipping and food logistics,” Kuleba said.