Kiev’s escalation in the Black Sea is threatening regional shipping and global food security, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said
Ukrainian forces have hit 214 civilian vessels flying the flags of various countries in the Black Sea since the start of the year, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Speaking at a regular briefing on Thursday, Zakharova lashed out at Ukraine, arguing that Vladimir Zelensky’s “regime continues to create military threats for the states of the Black Sea region.”
She pointed to a string of attacks on commercial shipping near Russian ports this month, including several raids on vessels operated by Turkish companies. Ukrainian drones hit the San Marino-flagged Necibe. Its 18 crew members were rescued by the Turkish-owned vessel Ural, which was also later struck by Ukrainian drones, leaving one Turkish citizen dead and eight other people injured.
“Here we see how the weapons procured and transferred to the Kiev regime through NATO mechanisms are being turned against the alliance members themselves,” the spokeswoman said.
Zakharova also accused Ukraine of creating security risks for Romania, citing an incident on August 20 in which a Romanian F-16 opened fire on an explosives-laden maritime drone near the Neptun Alpha gas platform in Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
Ukraine has escalated attacks in the Black Sea over the past several months. Ukrainian officials portray them as part of Zelensky’s much-hyped 40-day pressure campaign on Russia to end the conflict.
The Financial Times reported this month that Ukraine’s attacks drew the ire of the US, with Vice President J.D. Vance requesting that Zelensky halt raids on tankers serving the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk. The route mainly carries Kazakh crude and involves US majors Chevron and ExxonMobil. According to the FT, Kiev subsequently agreed not to target CPC infrastructure or non-Russian vessels unless they were sanctioned by Ukraine or are carrying Russian cargo.
In response to the campaign, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s defense-related industry, vessels carrying military cargo, and port facilities in Odessa Region. The city is crucial for the country’s economy as it accounts for more than 90% of Ukraine’s seaborne exports, including agricultural products, which are the key source of income for the country.
