---
title: "Russian attack on tugboat Tedy near Odesa: two Azerbaijani citizens killed"
description: "Russian military forces attacked the civilian tugboat Tedy near Odesa: two crew members — citizens of Azerbaijan — were killed, and two others were injured. The incident is the latest in a series of strikes on port infrastructure, which have caused Odesa's traffic to drop by 75%."
date: 2026-09-10T13:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russian-attack-on-tugboat-tedy-near-odesa-azerbaijani-citizens-killed-en
tags: [russia-ukraine, odesa-port, civilian-shipping, azerbaijan, military-attack, black-sea, maritime-security]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Russian attack on tugboat Tedy near Odesa: two Azerbaijani citizens killed

![Ship at the berth of Odesa port amid the attack on tugboat Tedy](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/10/rossijskaya-ataka-na-buksir-tedy-u-odessy-pogibli-grazhdane-azerbajdzhana/rossijskaya-ataka-na-buksir-tedy-u-odessy-pogibli-grazhdane-azerbajdzhana-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Russian military forces attacked the civilian tugboat Tedy, sailing under a foreign flag, in Odesa Oblast
- Two crew members — citizens of Azerbaijan — were killed, and two other seamen were injured
- Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne are virtually halted: traffic has dropped by 75%
- 4–5 million tons of metallurgical and agricultural export cargo are at risk every month

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.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Russia struck a foreign tugboat near Odesa, Azerbaijani citizens killed](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-vdarila-inozemnomu-buksiru-bilya-odesi-1789045472.html) - Подтверждает факт атаки на буксир Tedy, гибель двух граждан Азербайджана, ранение двух моряков. Ссылается на Минвосстановления Украины.
- [Russia struck a foreign vessel in Odesa Oblast: Azerbaijani citizens killed](https://24tv.ua/ru/rossija-nanesla-udar-po-inostrannomu-sudnu-tedy-v-odesskoj-oblasti-pogibli-dvoe-grazhdan-azerbajdzhana_n3139703) - Подтверждает локацию (Одесская область), название судна Tedy, число погибших и их гражданство.
- [Two Azerbaijani citizens killed in Russian UAV attack on vessel near Odesa](https://www.svoboda.org/a/dvoe-grazhdan-azerbaydzhana-pogibli-pri-atake-bpla-rf-na-sudno-u-odessy/33851642.html) - Подтверждает факт атаки и число жертв. Уточняет тип оружия — БПЛА. Не противоречит остальным источникам.
- [Baku reported attack on vessels with Azerbaijani citizens in the Sea of Azov](https://www.rbc.ru/politics/05/06/2026/6a229b069a79475a15ca046a) - Описывает отдельный инцидент в Азовском море (05.06.2026). Использован как контекст для системного характера угроз, не противоречит основному событию.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which vessel was attacked near Odesa?
**A:** Russian military forces struck the civilian tugboat Tedy, which was sailing under a foreign flag. The vessel had no military purpose.

### Q: Who died as a result of the attack?
**A:** Two crew members of the tugboat Tedy — citizens of Azerbaijan — were killed. Two other seamen were injured.

### Q: What are the consequences of the attack for the operation of Ukrainian ports?
**A:** Due to constant Russian attacks, the flow of vessels through Odesa has fallen by 7–8 times (75%), which has virtually halted the operations of the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne. 4–5 million tons of cargo are at risk every month.

### Q: Is the attack on the Tedy an isolated incident?
**A:** No. The Ukrainian side characterizes the strikes on civilian shipping as systematic. Previously, the Azerbaijani side also reported attacks on vessels carrying Azerbaijani citizens in the Sea of Azov.