Ukrainian Border Guards Evacuate 15 Crew Members From Vessel Attacked by Russia in Black Sea

Ukrainian border guards evacuated 15 crew members from a vessel that was attacked by Russian forces in the Black Sea overnight on September 23, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.

The Maritime Guard, a unit of the State Border Guard Service, carried out the evacuation in the Odesa region after the vessel came under attack from Russian forces. The Black Sea has remained a contested zone throughout Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with attacks on shipping affecting both military and civilian vessels operating in the area.

Odesa, a major Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea coast, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian strikes given its importance to Ukraine's maritime trade, including grain exports that are significant to global food markets. Attacks on vessels in the region have periodically disrupted shipping activity and raised safety concerns for commercial maritime traffic.

The report did not specify the nationality of the affected vessel, the extent of damage it sustained, or the condition of the crew members following the evacuation. It also did not detail the type of Russian weaponry used in the attack.

Ukrainian authorities have continued to report on Russian strikes affecting Black Sea shipping as part of their ongoing communications about the security situation facing the country's maritime infrastructure and trade routes.