Russian missile hits grain ship in Black Sea, Ukraine seeks global response

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reported that, during the night, Russians attacked a civilian cargo ship carrying grain to Egypt with a missile. The strike occurred just after the ship left Ukrainian territorial waters. "We are waiting for the world's response. Wheat and food security should never be the target of missiles," he wrote on his profile on platform X.

The ship carrying grain from Ukraine was hit by a Russian missile in the Black Sea after leaving Ukrainian waters, President Zelensky said on platform X on Thursday.

"Ukraine is one of the key global guarantors of food security. Internal stability and normal life in dozens of countries around the world depend on the normal and uninterrupted functioning of our food export corridor," Zelensky wrote.

"Ukrainian food supplies to the countries of Africa and the Middle East are of crucial importance. We will continue to make every effort to ensure the safety of our ports, the Black Sea, and the export of food to global markets," assured the President of Ukraine. "We are waiting for the world's response. Wheat and food security should never be the target of missiles," he added.

Earlier, a source in the maritime transport industry told Reuters that the ship carrying grain was hit in Romanian waters near the mouth of the Danube from Wednesday night into Thursday. Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk also said the ship was not in Ukrainian waters at the time of the attack but in Romania's exclusive economic zone.

Meanwhile, Romanian maritime authorities confirmed that the ship was not in Romanian territorial waters. Irina Puscasu, spokeswoman for the maritime authority, told Reuters, "I can only say about this ship now that it was not in our territorial waters. We were not asked for help."

According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, the Russian strike on the grain ship in the Black Sea is a "brazen attack" on the freedom of maritime movement and global food security. He added on platform X that Ukraine would immediately notify the UN and the International Maritime Organization about this crime. He also appealed to partners for a decisive reaction.

The British company Ambrey, specializing in maritime security, reported in a note that a bulk carrier flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was hit by a missile fired by Russia after leaving the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region. It was reported that the ship's deck, hold, and crane were damaged. There are no reports of casualties.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain producers. It exports around 4 million short tons of grain monthly through its Black Sea corridor, established in August 2023 after Russia withdrew from the grain agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey.