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Russian Drones Strike Chinese Ship Near Odesa
18 May
Summary
- Russian drones struck two ships, including a Chinese-owned vessel, near Odesa.
- The Chinese crew aboard the hit vessel were unharmed and continued their journey.
- The attack occurred just before President Putin's scheduled meeting with Xi Jinping.
Russian drone strikes impacted two civilian ships navigating Black Sea waters near Ukraine's Odesa region on Monday. Among the affected vessels was the KSL Deyang, a cargo ship owned by a Chinese company and flying a Marshall Islands flag, carrying a Chinese crew. Ukrainian naval forces confirmed the ship sustained damage but that all crew members were safe and the vessel continued its intended journey.
This maritime incident occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported a large-scale overnight assault by Russia, involving 524 drones and 22 missiles. The attack on the Chinese-owned vessel took place just prior to Russian President Vladimir Putin's scheduled two-day visit to Beijing for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Despite China's calls for peace talks, it has not condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine.
