Russian Strike on Cargo Ship Off Odesa Kills Five Crew as Black Sea Attacks Escalate

A Russian strike on an international cargo vessel in the Black Sea off Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa killed at least five crew members on Sunday, according to Ukrainian officials, marking another deadly attack on maritime shipping in the region.

The Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship had departed from Odesa carrying a shipment of corn and a crew of 17 sailors from India and Syria, along with one Ukrainian national, Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said.

Authorities rescued eight crew members, while the vessel remained on fire late Sunday. Five crew members were still missing as search and rescue efforts continued. A Reuters witness in Odesa reported seeing thick smoke rising from a large ship offshore. Russia has not publicly commented on the incident.

The attack comes as Russian forces intensify strikes on Ukraine's deepwater ports, which play a critical role in exporting grain and other essential cargo through the Black Sea. The ports are vital to global food supplies, making repeated attacks a growing concern for international trade and food security.

Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the strike, describing the vessel as a civilian ship with an international crew operating on a route important to global food security. In a post on X, he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, saying the attack demonstrated that Russia "does not care whom it kills."

The latest strike follows another attack on Saturday, when Russian forces hit port infrastructure in Odesa, killing one person aboard a vessel flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag. Just a day earlier, Russian missile and drone strikes on the southern cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv left three people dead.

The recent escalation highlights the increasing risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea as the war enters its fifth year, raising fresh concerns over maritime security, grain exports, and the safety of international crews operating in the region.