A civilian cargo ship hit near Odesa
Maritime risks in the Black Sea continue to worsen after a new reported attack on a civilian merchant vessel. On May 29, 2026, the Ukrainian Navy said a Russian drone struck the ANT, a Vanuatu-flagged bulk carrier owned by a Turkish shipowner. The vessel was leaving a port in the Odesa region and heading toward Turkey with cargo on board. The impact reportedly hit the ship’s superstructure and caused a fire. Two injured crew members were evacuated by Ukrainian naval forces and taken to a medical facility.
Three tankers targeted near Turkey
This incident came one day after other drone attacks were reported against three tankers in the Black Sea, near Turkey’s northern coast. The James II, Altura and Velora were either sailing in ballast or involved in a ship-to-ship operation when the attacks were reported. No injuries were reported among the crews. These strikes have not been claimed, but the vessels are associated with the shadow fleet used to bypass sanctions targeting Russian oil exports.
The repetition of these incidents shows that the Black Sea remains an increasingly dangerous area for commercial shipping. Ukrainian ports, routes toward Turkey, sanctioned tankers and civilian vessels are now exposed to a maritime war in which drones create a direct risk for crews. For shipowners, insurers and coastal states, the main challenge is to protect freedom of navigation without normalizing attacks against merchant vessels.
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