Ten people were killed in a Russian missile strike on the grain-carrying bulk carrier Golden Leo, the Ukrainian Navy Command reported. At least five other crew members remain missing, and the search for them continues.
The vessel is Turkish-owned and sails under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. According to the Ukrainian military, the laden bulk carrier was leaving the combat zone when it was attacked.
The missile struck the vessel’s starboard side, after which a fire broke out on board. Eight sailors were evacuated and taken to a hospital in Odesa.
The Ukrainian Navy did not disclose the precise location of the strike. The context of its statement suggests the attack may have occurred near one of the ports in the Odesa region that have recently come under regular Russian attack.
Ukraine described the attack on the civilian vessel as deliberate. Russian authorities have not commented on the statement.
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