Ukraine: “Russia hit the grain ship heading to Egypt”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky stated that a grain ship headed from Ukraine to Egypt was hit by Russia in the Black Sea.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced on his social media account that a grain ship, which had departed from Ukraine to go to Egypt, was targeted by a Russian missile. Zelensky said, “Russia launched an attack on a civilian ship in the Black Sea immediately after it left Ukrainian territorial waters. According to initial information, there were no casualties. Ukraine is one of the key guarantors of global food security. Ukraine’s food deliveries to African and Middle Eastern countries are critical. We will continue to make every effort to protect our ports, the Black Sea, and food exports to global markets. This is Ukraine’s real priority and should be a priority for all countries. We expect the world to respond. Wheat and food security should never be the target of missiles.” Zelensky also shared photographs of the damaged ship.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga described the attack as “a brazen assault on freedom of navigation and global food security.”

The Romanian Naval Forces Command reported that the ship was not in Romanian territorial waters at the time of the incident and that no assistance was requested in any way. The British maritime security company Ambrey stated that the ship was hit by a missile launched by Russia after it departed from the Chornomorsk port in Ukraine’s Odessa region. No statement has yet been made by Russia.