Ukrainian Seafarer Dies After Russia Strikes Wheat-Laden Bulker In Black Sea

A Guinea-Bissau-flagged bulker, MERA QUEEN, carrying wheat from Ukraine, was attacked by Russian forces, leading to the death of one Ukrainian crew member and injuries to the three others on the vessel.

The ship’s hull was damaged in the attack, which also caused a fire. After the crew members were evacuated and taken to the shore safely, where they received medical assistance, the vessel was also towed to berth.

Specialists are carrying out urgent repairs to control the damage and stabilise the technical condition of the vessel.

“Such strikes once again demonstrate the systematic and cynical nature of Russian terror, as well as the aggressor’s creation of threats both to the lives of civilians and to global food security as a whole,” Kiper said.

The Sea Ports Authority said that recurrent Russian attacks on civilian ships and Ukraine’s port infrastructure are proof of the deliberate campaign against freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

In July, Moscow increased attacks on ships using Ukraine’s Black Sea maritime corridor.

On 13 July, Russia attacked a ship sailing under the flag of Togo in Odesa Oblast while it was unloading mineral fertilisers. 5 crew members were killed in the attack, and 5 were badly wounded.

The following day, Russia targeted two more civilian ships in the Black Sea, sailing under the flags of Tanzania and Liberia. One of the ship’s captains lost his life in the attack.

On July 22, 2026, no ship passed through the maritime corridor due to the risk of being attacked by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian authorities said that it was a deliberate way of spreading economic and humanitarian terror at the peak of the harvest period.

Ukraine appealed to the U.N and also convened an emergency meeting to urge all countries to demand that Russia stop attacking ships.