Russian Drones Attack German-Owned Vessel in Black Sea Near Odesa

Overnight Thursday, several Russian drones struck the cargo vessel Emil roughly 39 kilometres off the coast of Odesa, Ukraine. The ship lost control and a fire broke out on board. Although it sails under the Liberian flag, the vessel is owned by the German shipping company Johann M.K. Blumenthal GmbH & Co. KG, based in Hamburg-Altona.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, cited by Euronews, Russian drones struck two cargo vessels late Wednesday evening south and east of Odesa, both of which Moscow claims were carrying military cargo. All 11 crew members aboard the Emil are reported to be unharmed.

Sailor Killed on Second Vessel

The second ship targeted, according to Ukraine's Odesa Sea Port Authority, was the Mera Queen, sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. One crew member was killed in the strike. Port authorities said the vessel was carrying a cargo of Ukrainian wheat.

Black Sea Becoming a Chokepoint for Global Trade

Czech news agencies note that a growing number of attacks on ships, ports and export terminals in the Black Sea is disrupting global grain supplies. The region, critical for grain shipments, is turning into a new "chokepoint" for world trade — drawing comparisons to the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions in the Middle East.

In July alone, Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure recorded 35 attacks on vessels docked in ports, 22 strikes on ships at sea, and 67 attacks on port infrastructure. By comparison, Ukrainian ships were attacked just 14 times during the whole of last year. Meanwhile, Kyiv has carried out its own strikes on dozens of tankers involved in transporting Russian oil, revenue from which Ukraine says Moscow uses to fund the war.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz