Multiple Unknown Projectile Strike on Two Bulk Carriers, Black Sea
Issued: 1 month, 2 weeks ago
| Date | Reference | Region | Category | Aggressors | Source |
| 2026-08-17 00:01:00 | CWD Notification 018- (Aug 26) | Europe | OSINT | Military | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-sources have reported that a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier was struck by five unknown projectiles whilst transiting approximately 21 nm from Novorossiysk, Russia (exact time and location not specified). Reports indicate that the vessel was en route to Novorossiysk to load grain at the time of the attack. The strikes caused a fire onboard and the vessel has been reported as almost completely burned out. It remains unclear whether the vessel remained afloat following the incident. All twenty-one crew members, comprising twenty Filipino sailors and one Romanian captain, abandoned the vessel and were successfully rescued by a Malta-flagged bulk carrier operating in the area. Open-sources have also reported that approximately five hours after the rescue, the second vessel that had recovered the crew was also struck by a unknown projectile but continued transit toward a Turkish port. UPDATE: Open-sources have reported that at least five grain vessels were struck near the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse on 17 and 18 August 2026 (exact times and positions not specified). Four vessels were struck on the morning of 18 August, with a fifth vessel struck on 17 August. The vessels identified include a Russian-flagged bulk carrier attacked at Novorossiysk whilst due to load wheat, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier struck after departing Novorossiysk with a cargo of wheat which was able to continue its voyage, a Maltese-flagged bulk carrier struck after loading approximately 56,000 tons of wheat at Novorossiysk and now heading toward the Bosphorus, and a San Marino-flagged bulk carrier struck by drones at Tuapse whilst due to load approximately 20,000 tons of wheat. The Liberia-flagged bulk carrier previously reported on 17 August was heading to Novorossiysk to load barley when struck by a drone, causing a fire onboard and rendering the vessel unable to continue its voyage. The attacks represent an escalation in strikes targeting grain export operations from Russian Black Sea ports. | |||||