Russia Says It Struck 3 Cargo Ships Carrying Military-Related Cargo In Black Sea

Russia said on Thursday its forces carried out overnight missile and drone strikes on military production facilities across Ukraine, including in Kyiv and the western city of Lviv, and claimed to have struck three cargo ships in the Black Sea that it said were transporting military supplies.

The reported attacks extended beyond military factories to commercial shipping. Russia’s Defence Ministry said one cargo ship was hit in the port of Yuzhnyi, also known as Pivdennyi, in Ukraine’s Odesa region after delivering military goods.

It also said two other cargo ships south and east of Odesa were struck while delivering arms and military equipment to the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.

According to the Defence Ministry, the overnight operation involved land-, sea- and air-launched missiles, along with strike drones, targeting what it described as Ukraine’s military-industrial infrastructure.

Russia said it struck the Mayak factory in Kyiv, which it claimed produces FP-1 and FP-2 strike drones. It also said the Kyiv Electrical Technical Plant, which it claimed manufactures strike and surveillance drones, was hit.

In the western city of Lviv, Russia said it targeted the LORTA Aviation Factory, alleging it manufactures and services engines used in Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles as well as drones.

The ministry also said Russian forces struck two factories in Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region that it claimed were involved in producing or storing various Ukrainian missiles, including Flamingo and Neptune missiles.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russia said it hit the Akvaplast factory in Kryvyi Rih, alleging it was involved in designing and assembling strike drones, unmanned sea drones and repairing self-propelled howitzers.

On the maritime front, the ministry said one cargo ship was struck in the port of Yuzhnyi after delivering military goods. It added that two more cargo ships south and east of Odesa were also hit, alleging they had been delivering arms and military equipment to the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.

Separately, Russia’s defence ministry said it had struck one cargo ship in the port of Yuzhny and another two vessels east and south of Odesa as part of an air campaign against Kyiv’s seaborne trade.

References: Canberra Times, The Print