Russia strikes second civilian ship in Black Sea in six days, killing both captains to choke route that carries 90 percent of Ukraine’s farm exports

On 22-23 September, Russian forces attacked a cargo ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda in the Black Sea, resulting in the death of the ship's Ukrainian captain, according to Ukraine's Sea Ports Authority. The Ukrainian Navy evacuated the surviving 15 crew members despite the presence of fire and dense smoke, as reported by the State Border Guard Service.

The vessel, which had departed from a Ukrainian port, was en route to an unknown destination. This attack is the second on a civilian ship in the Black Sea within a six-day period, with the first incident involving a Russian drone strike on a Tanzania-flagged vessel that killed its Ukrainian captain and wounded three crew members.

Ukraine estimates that these ongoing attacks could result in a loss of $1.5 to $3 billion in export revenue, primarily agricultural products that account for about 90% of Ukraine's exports. The European Union has called for a moratorium on strikes against Black Sea shipping in response to these incidents.