A deadly attack launched by Russia against a Turkish cargo ship leaving the Ukrainian port of Odessa on 19 July left 10 people dead, including several foreign crew members and a Ukrainian harbour pilot, according to reports from the authorities in Ukraine, who state that the vessel, named Golden Leo and flying the flag of convenience of Guinea-Bissau, was struck by three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles launched by Russia.
The Golden Leo, a Turkish-owned bulk carrier carrying maize and sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was attacked whilst off the coast of Odessa, causing a fire on board, according to the Ukrainian Navy. The vessel, owned by a Turkish shipping company, had a crew comprising nationals of India and Syria and was struck by three cruise missiles, according to reports published by the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet.
The Ukrainian authorities stated that the fire caused by the missile strikes meant search and rescue operations had to continue throughout the night. The Port Authority of Ukraine reported that nine crew members and a Ukrainian pilot were killed in the Russian attack, considered the deadliest against a vessel in Black Sea waters in recent weeks. The remaining eight of the 17 crew members on board were rescued alive.
Tension in the Black Sea has escalated amid an increase in attacks between Russia and Ukraine both in that area and in the neighbouring Sea of Azov. Both countries are attacking energy facilities, ports and commercial vessels: whilst Ukraine has launched offensives against Russian oil tankers and energy infrastructure, Russia has intensified its bombardments of Ukrainian deep-water ports and merchant ships.
The growing number of attacks on maritime transport between Russia and Ukraine – two of the world’s leading exporters of grain – has heightened concerns over the global food supply. It is estimated that Ukraine has lost approximately a third of its capacity to export grain from its Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and drone attacks; for its part, Ukraine’s attacks have forced Russia, the world’s largest grain exporter, to restrict maritime traffic in the Sea of Azov, through which around a quarter of its grain shipments pass.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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