Ukrainian military officials have confirmed that two civilian mariners were killed in an artillery attack by Russian forces on commercial vessels at the Port of Ochakiv on Monday, October 31.
Reports stated that the fatalities were both crewmembers on two harbour tugs that were assisting in the transport of grain cargo through the port, which lies near the mouth of the Dnipro River.
The tugs that the deceased individuals were serving on also sustained damage in the attack, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said.
The same official added that one other sailor suffered injuries. This individual has since been evacuated out of the area.
It is not clear whether the strikes on the civilian vessels were deliberate, though the port itself has repeatedly come under attack throughout the ongoing hostilities between Ukraine and Russia.
