Ukraine called Russia’s boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday «a deliberate attack» and «an act of piracy,» marking the latest flare-up over the sea’s shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month.
Moscow has said it stopped the vessel, a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship called the Sukru Okan, to ensure it was not carrying «prohibited goods» to Ukraine.
Ukraine called for the international community to recognize Russia’s actions as a crime.
«Today’s deliberate attack and forced inspection by Russia of Sukru Okan international civilian bulk carrier, which was en route to the Ukrainian port of Izmail, is a clear violation of international law of the sea, an act of piracy and a crime against civilian vessels of a third country in the waters of other states,» Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Podolyak called on all those involved in the incident to be identified and for the international community to recognize the «fact of the crime.»
«Ukraine will draw all the necessary conclusions and choose the best possible response,» he said.
Some context: In the weeks since Moscow pulled out of a deal that allowed for the safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea, both Russia and Ukraine have launched attacks on shipping and port targets.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian sea drones attacked a major naval base in Russia. Hours later, Kyiv followed up with a strike on one of Russia’s biggest oil tankers.
For its part, Moscow has pummeled key port infrastructure with strikes in southern Ukraine, further limiting its ability to make exports.
Russia’s defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets, while Ukraine has said any attacks of Russian targets on the sea will be justified because they occur in Kyiv’s territorial waters.