In Odesa Oblast, two crew members of the tugboat Tedy, which was sailing under a foreign flag, were killed in the latest Russian strike on civilian shipping. Two other seamen were injured. This was reported by Ukraine's Ministry of Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport, with the data broadcast by RBC-Ukraine, 24 Channel and Radio Svoboda. According to the Ukrainian ministry, both of the deceased are citizens of Azerbaijan.
Circumstances of the attack
Russian military forces struck the civilian tugboat Tedy in the waters off the coast of Odesa Oblast. According to Radio Svoboda, the attack was carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The vessel, which carried foreign seamen, had no military purpose and was performing towing operations in the port area. As a result of the hit, a fire broke out on board, leading to the deaths of two crew members and injuries to two others. The Ukrainian side classified the incident as a deliberate strike on a civilian vessel.
Casualties and Kyiv's reaction
The victims of the attack were two citizens of Azerbaijan who were part of the crew of the tugboat Tedy. Ukraine's Ministry of Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased seamen and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. Baku, in turn, also recorded the incident: previously, the Azerbaijani side had reported attacks on vessels carrying Azerbaijani citizens in the waters of the Sea of Azov, indicating the systemic nature of the threat to seamen from that country in the Black and Azov Seas.
Systematic strikes on civilian shipping
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that Russia continues to deliberately strike civilian vessels and port infrastructure, posing a direct threat to the lives of both Ukrainian and foreign seamen. Each such case is documented and systematically brought to the attention of international partners as an act of terror against civilian shipping and transport infrastructure. The attack on the Tedy became the latest episode in a series of similar incidents, which, according to Kyiv's assessment, are not random but deliberate and systematic.
Economic consequences for Ukraine
The consequences of Russian shelling of civilian shipping and port infrastructure have already led to a sharp reduction in the operations of the key seaports of the Odesa region. According to available data, the flow of vessels through Odesa has fallen by 7–8 times, and the total volume of cargo handling has dropped by 75%. This has virtually halted the operations of the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne. The closure and restricted operation of Ukrainian ports are causing millions of dollars in damage to the metallurgical sector and agricultural exports: approximately 4–5 million tons of critical cargo are at risk every month. The prolonged blockade of the ports of Odesa poses a direct threat to the country's macroeconomic stability and GDP, forcing Kyiv to seek help from international partners.
Appeal to the international community
Ukrainian authorities insist that strikes on civilian vessels flying foreign flags constitute a violation of international maritime law and conventions on the safety of navigation. Kyiv calls on the international community to take concrete measures to stop Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels in the Black and Azov Seas. The incident involving the tugboat Tedy and the deaths of Azerbaijani seamen once again raises the question of the need to strengthen the international presence and security guarantees in the region.
