Drone Strikes Cargo Ship Bound for Ukraine in Romanian Waters

An unidentified drone attacked the Palau-flagged commercial cargo ship Larissa 1 inside Romania’s territorial waters overnight into Saturday, Nov. 14, while the vessel was en route to Ukraine, Digi24 reported. According to the report, no crew members were injured in the strike and no fire broke out on board, though the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) damaged the ship’s cargo crane.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan-Radu Oprea stated that national authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, noting that the Romanian military is coordinating its response with the Naval Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Coast Guard. Oprea added that air raid alerts were activated at least twice across various districts of Romania’s Tulcea County – which borders Ukraine along the Danube River – the day prior to the attack. He noted that Romanian defense systems regularly detect drones approaching national borders, entering airspace, or operating over coastal waters, emphasizing that security services respond to each incursion to identify, deter, and neutralize threats when necessary. Maritime danger escalation across the Black Sea The strike inside Romanian territorial waters underscores the expanding geographic reach of maritime warfare across the Black Sea, which has become the world’s deadliest shipping corridor this year,. Maritime security consultancy Ambrey has recorded more than 300 attacks across the Black Sea this year, resulting in over 30 seafarers killed and more than 20 missing – exceeding maritime fatalities recorded in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East since fighting between the US and Iran began in late February. Other Topics of Interest The 1027th Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiment carried out the interception, the General Staff said, as Russia has increasingly used faster jet-powered drones. While Russian forces have targeted Greater Odesa ports, Danube terminals in Izmail and Reni, and merchant vessels carrying Ukrainian exports, Ukrainian forces have expanded long-range strikes against Russian port infrastructure and tankers linked to Moscow’s shadow fleet. Ambrey reported that 45 merchant vessels were struck outside previously designated war-risk zones in the 12 months through September, noting that aerial and maritime drones have overtaken sea mines as the primary hazard to commercial shipping. Other recent vessel attacks near Romania’s coast The attack on Larissa 1 follows a series of lethal strikes on commercial vessels operating off Romania’s Black Sea coastline in recent weeks. On Oct. 23, a drone attack sank the Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv approximately 13 nautical miles (24 kilometers) off the Romanian port of Constanța while en route to Sulina, killing one crew member and leaving three missing among its 13 Ukrainian and Azerbaijani mariners. Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia directly for the strike, characterizing it as part of Moscow’s escalation process. Earlier in October, the Turkish-owned grain carrier Royad Mammadov caught fire and sank near Romania’s coast, killing two crew members in an incident Ukrainian officials attributed to Russian drones. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.