Russian strike hits Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship in Odesa region, killing captain
A Russian strike hit a commercial cargo ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda in Ukraine's Odesa region, killing its Ukrainian captain, regional authorities said on Wednesday.
The attack caused a fire aboard the vessel, Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said. The rest of the crew was evacuated, and the fire has since been extinguished.
Kiper did not identify the vessel or specify where in the Odesa region it was struck.
Russian forces also struck warehouses storing medicines, household goods and food twice in succession, according to Kiper. Firefighters spent several hours extinguishing the resulting blaze.
The attack comes amid intensified Russian strikes on ports and civilian shipping in and around Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately targeting port infrastructure and commercial shipping in an effort to disrupt exports through the Black Sea.