Russian missile strike against civilian cargo ship: 5 dead, crew consists of various nationalities

Russian aggression against civilian shipping in the Black Sea has once again resulted in tragic consequences. This afternoon, three cruise missiles struck the dry cargo ship 'Golden Lion', which was moving towards the exit from the combat zone, loaded with grain.

According to an official statement from the Ukrainian Navy, the strike caused a fire in the superstructure on the starboard side of the vessel. The result is the death of five people, while the fate of five other crew members remains unknown. Rescue operations, conducted by the Ukrainian Navy and the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, are already underway.

By evening, eight crew members had been evacuated to a hospital in Odesa. Although the ship flies the flag of Guinea-Bissau, it is owned by a Turkish company. The crew is composed of citizens of Syria and India, and among the dead is the vessel's Ukrainian captain, reported by Ukraine's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha.

The Ukrainian military institution defines the attack as an "act of terrorism against peaceful maritime shipping" and a gross violation of international humanitarian law, emphasizing that the unarmed civilian vessel posed no military threat.

Other strikes were also registered in the Odesa region. According to Ukrinform, the bulk carrier 'Venturo' was also damaged, resulting in one casualty and the evacuation of 17 sailors.