Russian missile strikes cargo ship carrying grain in Black Sea

Source: Ukraine’s Navy

Russian forces struck a civilian vessel  in the Black Sea on the night of September 12. The Ukrainian Navy reports that the attack, which occurred at 11:03 pm, involved cruise missiles—likely the Kh-22—launched from Russian Tu-22 aircraft. The bulk carrier AYA, flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was hit while leaving Ukrainian territorial waters. It was carrying grain from Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port to Egypt.

The photos that later emereged on social media show the ship took serious damage.

In its statement on the attack, the Ukrainian Navy has blasted Moscow for continuing to flout the rules of war and jeopardize global food security.

President Volodymyr Zelensky also weighed in, confirming that the Russian missile hit the civilian ship shortly after it left Ukrainian waters.

“Our food supply to Africa and the Middle East is critical,” Zelensky stressed, highlighting Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to protect its ports and ensure grain reaches the global market. “This is a top priority for us—protecting lives and securing food supplies—and it should be a top priority for the world, too.”

Zelensky called for swift international action, emphasizing that food security and wheat must never become targets in this brutal conflict.