Russia attacked a civilian foreign-flagged vessel in Ukraine's Odesa region, killing two crew members and injuring two others, Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure said. The tug Tedy, which sails under the flag of Somalia, was damaged in the strike.
Two crew members, both citizens of Azerbaijan, were killed in the attack, the ministry said in a statement. Two more Azerbaijani citizens were injured and hospitalized. Six other crew members, also Azerbaijani nationals, received assistance at the scene and did not require hospitalization, according to the ministry.
The ministry said Ukraine is documenting every case of targeted strikes on foreign vessels and civilian sailors to build an evidence base for international partners and human rights institutions.
Azerbaijan confirms deaths
Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country's citizens died as a result of an attack on a cargo vessel on September 9.
According to the outlet Media.AZ, the Tedy was attacked on September 9 and again overnight into September 10. The outlet reported that 10 crew members were on board the vessel at the time.
The Tedy's last recorded position was on September 7 in the Black Sea, near the Romanian port of Constanta. Constanta is one of the largest ports on the Black Sea and has become an increasingly important route for grain and other exports since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine disrupted traffic through Ukrainian ports.
Pattern of Black Sea attacks
Ukrainian officials say the strike on the Tedy is part of a wider pattern of attacks on shipping in the Black Sea. Russia attacked 52 civilian vessels in July and the first half of August 2026 alone, according to Ukrainian reporting.
Ukraine has appealed to the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for regulating international shipping, over what it describes as a sharp escalation of the security situation in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea has served as a key corridor for Ukrainian grain and other exports, and repeated strikes on vessels using the route have raised concerns among shipping companies and insurers about the safety of civilian maritime traffic in the region.
