Sanctioned Russian ship Lady Mariia, tied to arms shipments, attacked by drones in the Mediterranean Sea

The Russian cargo ship Lady Mariia, subject to U.S. and Ukrainian sanctions, was targeted by drones in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Andrii Klymenko, head of Ukraine’s Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies. Footage of the attack, showing drones dropping munitions onto the vessel and a subsequent fire, was shared by Klymenko and Russian opposition commentator Alexander Nevzorov.

Nevzorov claimed the Lady Mariia was struck 12 times and suggested the drones were launched by Ukrainian forces from Libya. Klymenko hinted at Libyan involvement, stating the drones were "nice, unknown drones from Libyan territory." However, Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the incident. The origin of the drones and the nature of the cargo have not been independently verified.

The Lady Mariia left St. Petersburg earlier this year and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and the Algerian port of Oran before heading east across the Mediterranean. Since 2020, the ship has made calls at various ports, including Syria, Iran, and Libya. Ukraine lists the Lady Mariia among vessels used to transport military cargo and weapons for Russia, and it is owned by the Russian company MG-Flot LLC. The ship was sanctioned by the U.S. and Ukraine in May 2022 and May 2023, respectively.