Chinese-Owned Cargo Ship Damaged in Drone Attack Near Ukrainian Port

Kyiv. A Chinese-owned cargo ship was damaged in a drone attack near a port in Ukraine's Odesa region. This incident occurred before Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to the Ukraine Sports Authority, two civilian ships were targeted in the attack on Monday. One was said to be flying the flag of Marshall Islands and the other the flag of Guinea-Bissau.

According to the Ukrainian Navy, among the affected ships was KSL Deyang, a cargo ship owned by China and operating under the flag of Marshall Islands. A picture showing a part of the ship burned after the attack has been released. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of targeting the port area and attacking civilian ships through social media. According to him, no crew members were injured during the attack.

Ukrainian Navy spokesperson said that all the crew members on board the ship were Chinese nationals and they were safe. It was also informed that the ship was proceeding towards its destination even after the attack. 

According to reports, the ship was empty at the time of the attack and was preparing to load iron ore at the Pivdennyi port in the Odesa region. According to analysts, the Odesa region is a very important sea route for Ukraine's agriculture and exports, which has been repeatedly attacked since the war began.