On Sunday, a Russian naval vessel fired warning shots using automatic weapons at a dry cargo ship flying the Palau flag in the southwestern Black Sea. The ship was en route to Ukraine, as reported by the Russian defense ministry.

Previously, Russia had thwarted a U.N.-mediated grain agreement, which had ensured Ukraine’s ability to transport its agricultural goods via the Black Sea.

Moscow had cautioned that any ships heading toward Ukrainian waters might be carrying weaponry, NBC News has reported.

According to a statement from Russia, the patrol ship Vasily Bykov engaged in firing automatic weapons at the Sukru Okan ship after the latter’s captain disregarded a request to halt for an inspection.

The Sukru Okan was making its way toward the Ukrainian port of Izmail, as confirmed by the defense ministry. Shipping data from Refinitiv indicated that the ship was headed northwards towards the Bulgarian coast.

The Russian defense ministry stated, “To halt the vessel forcefully, warning shots were discharged from automatic weapons.”

Utilizing a Ka-29 helicopter, Russian military personnel boarded the ship. The defense ministry further explained, “Once the inspection team concluded its activities on board, the Sukru Okan resumed its journey to the port of Izmail.”

Written by staff