A Ukrainian marine drone strike has sunk a 13,000-tonne cargo vessel tied to Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom in the Black Sea, as President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his appeal for more Western air defence systems following a Russian assault on Kyiv that left nine people dead.
Ukraine has sunk a 13,000-tonne cargo ship linked to Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, in a marine drone strike in the Black Sea, delivering a fresh setback to Vladimir Putin’s war effort. The 466ft vessel went down in international waters, though all 17 crew members were rescued beforehand. The sinking came on the same day President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his calls on Western allies for more missiles, after the latest Russian bombardment of Kyiv killed nine people.
The vessel and the strike
The ship, reportedly sailing under the Russian flag, was one of the larger commercial cargo vessels still regularly operating in the Black Sea despite the ongoing war. It was owned by FESCO, a shipping firm that forms part of the Rosatom group, and was valued at around £10 million. Ukrainian officials said the strike, carried out using a marine drone, demonstrated the growing reach and capability of their long-range naval drone programme, which has increasingly targeted Russian vessels and maritime infrastructure since 2023.
Moscow’s denial
Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, insisted the vessel had been carrying only civilian cargo, ranging from frozen goods to construction and finishing materials, despite its ownership links to the nuclear corporation. He condemned the strike, saying “such an attack can only be described as piracy and maritime robbery.” Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of using commercial shipping networks to help support its military logistics, allegations Moscow continues to deny.
A wider naval campaign
Since the war began, Ukraine has relied heavily on uncrewed surface vessels to challenge Russia’s naval dominance in the Black Sea, rather than attempting to maintain a large conventional navy of its own. This latest sinking adds to a string of Ukrainian strikes over the past three years on Russian warships, landing vessels, logistics ships and Black Sea Fleet infrastructure. Military analysts say the growing use of naval drones, long-range missiles and special operations has forced Russia to move much of its Black Sea Fleet further away from both Crimea and the Ukrainian coastline.
The attack is also expected to push up insurance costs and shipping risks for commercial vessels crossing the Black Sea, where insurers already apply significantly higher premiums as a result of the conflict.
Rosatom’s role in Russia’s economy
Rosatom is one of Russia’s largest state-owned corporations, employing hundreds of thousands of people. It oversees the country’s civilian nuclear industry, including uranium mining, the export of nuclear reactors, and parts of Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet, in addition to nuclear non-energy goods more broadly.
Zelensky renews appeal after Kyiv strike
The sinking came as Ukraine continued to reel from the latest Russian assault on Kyiv, in which nine people were killed. President Zelensky used the attack to repeat his calls for additional Patriot systems and other advanced Western air defences, arguing that stronger international support remains essential to protect Ukrainian cities from ongoing missile and drone attacks. Russia has increasingly combined ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and long-range drones in its strikes, a tactic that makes interception more difficult by overwhelming Ukraine’s air defence systems.
