Ukraine’s government announced on Sunday (July 19) that Russian military forces launched missiles at a civilian cargo ship carrying corn in the Black Sea, resulting in at least 5 deaths, with 5 people missing and 8 rescued. This incident has once again raised concerns in the international community about maritime safety in the Black Sea and global food supply.
According to reports from media outlets such as Reuters citing Ukrainian government and navy sources, the attacked vessel was named “Golden Leo,” owned by a Turkish company, and flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau. At the time of the attack, the cargo ship was fully loaded with corn and sailing along the Ukrainian Black Sea route away from the port, with a total of 18 people on board, including 17 crew members from India and Syria, as well as 1 Ukrainian navigator.
The Ukrainian Navy stated that the Russian military launched 3 Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the cargo ship, hitting the upper structure on the right side of the ship, causing a massive fire. The incident resulted in the deaths of 5 people, including the Ukrainian navigator, while 5 others are missing and 8 were successfully evacuated. Rescue operations are still ongoing, with an assessment currently being conducted on the extent of damage to the ship.
Ukrainian Acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed that the attacked vessel was a non-military civilian commercial ship with crew members from various countries, and its sailing route is crucial for global food transport. He condemned Russia for once again targeting civilian ships, stating that such actions pose a threat to international maritime safety and global food supply.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that the incident has been reported to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), relevant international partners, as well as the governments of the countries to which the deceased and injured crew members belong, while calling upon the international community to respond to this incident.
As of now, Russia has not issued a public response to this incident.
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, maritime safety in the Black Sea has been a major concern. In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified attacks on key deep-water ports and port infrastructure in southern Ukraine, including Odessa. These ports serve as vital hubs for Ukraine’s grain and other major exports.
Following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2023, Ukraine established its own Black Sea shipping corridor to maintain grain exports. However, the safety of this waterway continues to be impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Just a day before this incident, Russian forces attacked port infrastructure in Odessa, affecting a ship flying the flags of Antigua and Barbuda, resulting in 1 death. The day before that, Russian airstrikes on Odessa and Mykolaiv led to at least 3 fatalities.