The Turkish‑owned bulk carrier Royad Mammadov, flagged to Saint Kitts and Nevis, was steaming from Ukraine’s Izmail toward Italy when a pair of Russian drones struck its hull, igniting a fire that forced the vessel to abandon ship and eventually sink in the Romanian EEZ. The attack occurred at about 11 am local time. Two crew members were lost, and 11 others were rescued, one of whom sustained injuries.
The ship was carrying 20 000 tons of corn, according to shipping data, and its crew included nationals from Azerbaijan and India. Romanian Coast Guard helicopters arrived within minutes to evacuate survivors.
Zelensky posted on X that the drone strike was a "horrific attack" on a civilian vessel in neutral waters and called on Russia to cease such actions. Russia has yet to issue a statement. The incident follows a string of maritime incidents in the Black Sea since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
The Romanian Maritime Authority will conduct a formal investigation into the sinking, while Ukraine has said it will raise the matter at the UN Security Council. Both sides are expected to engage in diplomatic talks in the coming days.