Romania blames Russia after drone sinks ship in the Black Sea
Romania has blamed Russia for a drone strike that sank a cargo ship off Romania’s Black Sea coast, killing one crew member and leaving three others missing.
The Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv was hit by a drone 13 nautical miles off the Romanian port of Constanta on Friday, sinking the vessel and claiming one life. The Khoryv, carrying a crew of 13 Ukrainian and Azeri sailors, had departed Turkiye on Wednesday and was en route to the Sulina port, a critical link for Ukrainian exports.
Romania’s naval authority launched a rescue operation after the ship sent a distress signal at 10am local time. Nine sailors were rescued, one body was recovered, and three remain missing. The operation was hampered by poor weather and low visibility, with only a small part of the capsized tanker visible above the waves in video released by authorities.
This incident is the latest in a surge of drone attacks targeting commercial shipping off the coasts of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria. At least seven cargo ships have been hit in the past two weeks, with 30 sailors reported killed or missing, raising fears of a wider escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
NATO response
Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria have called on NATO to fast-track additional surveillance capabilities to protect commercial shipping. NATO has announced it will send more maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, and drones to the Black Sea. The alliance is responding to a pattern of attacks that have targeted the vital Danube-Black Sea canal route.
It is time for Russia to take peace initiatives of the United States and Europe seriously, accept the ceasefire proposals and end the war.
Romanian and European officials have firmly blamed Russia for the attack. Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu called the strike "unacceptable and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the attacks as "reckless" and "targeting innocent lives." Moldova’s Foreign Ministry warned that Russia’s escalation endangers civilian lives and undermines regional security.
Russian officials have not immediately publicly commented on Friday’s sinking. The incident occurred after Romanian warplanes shot down two of the latest-generation Russian drones over Romanian territorial waters on Saturday. Russia has previously denied responsibility for deadly drone attacks in the region.
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