Friendship "the Russian way": a Russian drone struck a vessel carrying Chinese citizens
Attack on a ship with a Chinese crew: Russia has shown that the Black Sea is dangerous for everyone
As reported on 18 May 2026 by the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this morning a Russian strike UAV attacked the dry cargo vessel “KSL DEYANG” at sea near the Odesa region. According to the Navy, the ship sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Its crew consisted of citizens of China. The statement also noted that the shipowner is linked to the PRC.
This strike once again shows that Russian aggression in the Black Sea is not limited to Ukrainian infrastructure or military targets. Merchant ships, crews and international shipping in general are at risk. It is particularly noteworthy that this time the vessel attacked had citizens of China on board. Russia constantly demonstrates political closeness to Beijing, yet its attacks in the Black Sea create risks even for those countries Moscow calls its partners.
The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized that Russian strikes pose a threat not only to Ukraine. In fact, any civilian vessel in the waters of the Black Sea near the Ukrainian coast can come under attack by the aggressor state.
Earlier Russian forces had already attacked civilian vessels at sea near the Odesa region. In particular, on 29 April 2026 the spokesman of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dmytro Pletenchuk, reported that the Russians periodically strike civilian ships while at sea.
Against the backdrop of the war, such strikes are not only part of the terror against Ukraine, but also a direct signal to the international community: as long as Russia has the ability to attack, there will be no safe shipping in the Black Sea.
