Between July and mid-August, Russian forces launched attacks against 52 civilian vessels in the Black Sea. These deliberate strikes targeted ships carrying grain and vital commercial cargo both in transit to and from Ukrainian ports and while anchored inside port facilities. In a formal statement to the International Maritime Organization, Ukraine emphasized that these ongoing aggression acts threaten seafarers’ lives, international navigation freedom, and global food security.
The deadly nature of Moscow’s strategy was illustrated by the attack on the GOLDEN LEO as it departed the port of Chornomorsk loaded with over 6,000 metric tons of corn. The strike killed nine crew members and a local maritime pilot, leading to the vessel sinking. This fatal incident underscores Russia’s ongoing attempts to weaponize the Black Sea against civilian trade networks.
Exercising its inherent right to legitimate self-defense under international law, Ukraine continues to systematically target Russian port infrastructure directly supporting military logistics and fuel supply chains. Kyiv has signaled that these counter-strikes will intensify until Russia halts its policy of maritime terrorism and ceases targeting non-combatant commercial vessels.
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