A Russian drone strike on a civilian vessel in Black Sea on Monday killed the ship’s captain, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that Indian and an Azerbaijani citizens were also on board the ship.
The vessel, which was carrying corn, was owned by Türkiye. Eleven crew members were rescued, one of them injured.
Zelensky condemned the strikes and confirmed the captain’s death. He added that the fate of one other person was still being established.
“A horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Türkiye. Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board. As of now, unfortunately, we know that the ship’s captain was killed. My condolences. The fate of one other person is still being established. Eleven crew members were rescued, one of them injured,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Ukraine has repeatedly proposed concrete steps to de-escalate the situation and ensure security in the Black Sea. There have also been relevant proposals from third countries. But Russia consistently chooses terror and sinking civilian vessels instead of normal maritime navigation. Pressure is needed to restore global food security. And everyone who is genuinely interested in this must help.”
Indian-owned Pharma warehouse hit in Ukraine's Sumy
An Indian-owned pharmaceutical warehouse also came under attack of Russian drones in Ukraine's Sumy on Sunday.
A 52-year-old employee was killed and three others injured in the attack on the warehouse storing medical supplies, Kyiv Independent reported citing local authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences to the family and loved ones of the person who died in the attack. He said six people were injured in a separate attack on a communications facility in Dnipro.
“This morning, the Russians once again struck the Pivnichnyi Bridge in Kyiv with a drone. They attacked an ordinary pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy with drones. Tragically, one person was killed. My condolences to the family and loved ones. In Dnipro, they struck a communications facility. Six people were injured as a result of these attacks,” he said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian embassy in Delhi also condemned the attack, calling Russia “barbarian” and saying it did not care that the “factory belongs to Indian owners” and was producing “critically needed medicines.”
The embassy further called Russia “hypocrite” and said it did not care about its “historic” friendship with India.
Source: Hindustan Times
--Agencies
