In the Black Sea near Romania’s Sulina Canal, drones attacked three commercial vessels. Fires broke out aboard the ships after the strikes, but the crews managed to extinguish them. There were no casualties. Reuters reports, as cited by UNN.
Drones struck three commercial vessels in the Black Sea near Romania’s Sulina Canal, Prime Minister Luca Niculescu said on Sunday, adding that his armed forces had scrambled fighter jets twice. Defense Minister Ștefan Radu Oprea said there were no casualties and that the crews had managed to bring the fires on board under control after the strikes late on Saturday. The growing series of deadly strikes on merchant vessels near NATO members Romania and Bulgaria demonstrates how the escalation of the naval war between Russia and Ukraine is developing into a serious challenge for the transatlantic alliance in the Black Sea
According to available information, the Sulina Canal is an important Romanian shipping route connecting the Danube River with the Black Sea and is used by Ukraine for exports. Romanian officials did not specify where the drones had been launched from. At the same time, they said that the incidents were a consequence of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
These incidents are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international law. They reflect the deterioration of the security situation caused by Russia’s prolonged war against Ukraine
Meanwhile, Russia denies attacking Ukraine’s neighbors with drones.
Oprea said that the three vessels affected were the oil and chemical tanker Evia Petrol V, sailing under the Greek flag, the bulk carrier Marsol, and the oil products tanker Ali Najafov, both sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Ministry of Defense reported that the Evia Petrol V and Marsol were struck 4 and 5 nautical miles southeast of the Sulina Canal, in Romania’s territorial waters
Defense Minister Ștefan Radu Oprea said he plans to discuss the situation with colleagues from other NATO countries in Brussels. He emphasized the need for allied support.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I will be in Brussels for a meeting with my fellow (defense) ministers. We need the solidarity of our allies, which can be demonstrated through patrols by reconnaissance aircraft and through equipment to counter drones
We remind you
In the Black Sea, a Russian drone damaged a vessel flying the flag of the Marshall Islands. One crew member was killed, and seven others were injured.