Russia-Ukraine war: 2 Russian cargo ships struck by Ukrainian missile in Sea of Azov

Amid the Russian attack on Ukraine on Thursday, two Russian cargo ships were struck by a missile from the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, as the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) of Krasnodar Region suggests. As per TASS News, FSB stated that the SGV-Flot and the Serafim Sarovsky Russian civilian cargo ships were hit by a missile strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces at 11 am on February 24, 2022, at the sea of Azov.

It further stated that the missiles were launched from Mariupol, Ukraine, and the oil transport ship SGV-Flot was damaged, and a fire broke out. It was also announced that one of the crew members was seriously hurt and the onboard fire was put out, and both ships continued their journey. Border patrol ships were dispatched to the incident site to assist in the evacuation of the injured crew member.

Russian maritime traffic officials previously banned any travel in the Sea of Azov

Due to Russia's continuing military operations in Ukraine, Russian maritime traffic officials had previously banned any travel in the Sea of Azov. In the meanwhile, Ukraine also has stopped commercial shipping into and out of the country. Ships are not permitted to enter and are required to anchor if in port.

Marine traffic statistics suggest that no ships crossed the Kerch Strait, which joins the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, according to the Wall Street Journal. Hundreds of ships pass through the strait every day, transporting steel, grains, and other goods. The water also serves as a vital transit route for Russian oil destined for European markets. Ships transporting corn, wheat and barley to nations like Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, and Egypt pass through Mariupol, which is Ukraine's largest port in the Azov Sea, and other ports on the Crimean Peninsula.

Russia's attack on Ukraine

In the meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine stating that Moscow has no plans to invade Ukrainian territory. Russian Defence Ministry stated that Russian forces do not attack Ukrainian cities, but do target military facilities with precision strikes. They also claimed that no civilians are in danger.