Russia claims to have sunk a cargo vessel carrying weapons and military equipment bound for Ukraine on Saturday, March 1.
Russian Telegram war channel Talipov Online said Moscow’s forces unleashed two Iskander-M missiles targeting Panama-flagged container ship MSC Levante F at the port of Odesa.
The vessel, seen carrying yellow and red containers, reportedly made a stop in Turkey to load British sea drones and other weapons from the UK’s NATO base before heading to Ukraine.
“The container ship was struck as it prepared to unload,” the Telegram channel claimed. “After the strike detonations began, the cargo was completely destroyed, the ship sank.”
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that two port workers were injured in the strike, which also damaged port infrastructure.
However, despite the claim, Russia has yet to provide evidence that MSC Levante F was indeed sunk.
Kyiv’s Response
Odesa Governor Oleg Kiper confirmed that there was a missile strike on a cargo vessel docked at the Odesa port.
However, he said the strike only “damaged” the civilian ship, which is owned by a Swiss-based shipping company.
Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, rejected Russia’s claim, asserting that the vessel was carrying “completely civilian cargo.”
He also revealed that a second ship was hit in the attack.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 20 foreign merchant ships have been targeted by Russian strikes, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
