Ukraine claims Russia behind missile attack on grain carrier in Black Sea

A civilian vessel carrying a cargo of Ukrainian grain suffered damage after it was struck by a missile fired by Russian forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Facebook post on Thursday, September 12.

Military sources in Kyiv reported that the unidentified ship was underway in the Black Sea within Romania's exclusive economic zone when the strike occurred at around 23:00 local time on Wednesday, September 11.

The ship, which had earlier left the Port of Chornomorsk and was bound for Egypt, was struck by what Ukrainian officials claimed was a missile launched from a Russian strategic bomber.

Mr Zelenskyy said there were no casualties, while photographs supplied by his office show significant damage in some portions of the vessel.

A Romanian Navy official meanwhile told Reuters that, contrary to Ukraine's claims, the ship was not within Romanian territorial waters when it was attacked and that there had been no requests to render assistance.

The Russian government has not issued any statements in relation to the incident.