Nine Ships Struck in 24 Hours as Black Sea Grain War Escalates
Turkey's proposed moratorium on targeting commercial shipping is rejected as strikes continue
The exchange between Russia and Ukraine targeting commercial shipping tied to grain exports has intensified further. In the space of 24 hours, Ukraine was reported to have struck as many as five bulkers in or near Novorossiysk, one of them abandoned after a fire, while Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed strikes on at least four ships.
The round of attacks followed efforts by the United States and Turkey to halt the targeting of merchant vessels. Turkish officials proposed a moratorium on strikes against commercial shipping in the Black Sea, after Turkey called for de-escalation and protested attacks that killed and injured seafarers and destroyed Turkish-owned ships.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is reported to have pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly to stop attacks on foreign-flagged tankers at the CPC terminal and in the Black Sea, after a tanker chartered to Chevron was struck. Ukraine is said to have attached conditions that such vessels must not carry Russian cargoes and must not be under sanctions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rejected the Turkish proposal and accused Ukraine of "brazen acts of terrorism" against shipping. Russia's Ministry of Defense maintains that every ship it targets is carrying military cargo to Ukraine. Ukrainian officials in turn accuse Russia of endangering the world's food supply through attacks on grain infrastructure and export vessels.
The damage to Russian export capacity is substantial. Ninety percent of Russia's Black Sea and Azov grain export capacity was unavailable at the start of the week, with all three terminals in Novorossiysk suspended and only a smaller facility at Tuapse still working. Andrei Sizov, managing director of the SovEcon agricultural consultancy, set out that position. Navigation in the Sea of Azov has been suspended since late July after a Ukrainian barrage struck more than 100 vessels.
Russian grain exports are down sharply in 2026 against the 46.3 million tons shipped in 2025, of which more than 29 million tons moved through Black Sea ports. Ukrainian exports have fallen on a similar path while shipments are redirected to the Danube and overland to Romania for transshipment.
The Greek-owned, Liberia-registered bulker Anna S, 40,000 dwt, was set on fire on the night of Monday, August 17 after being hit by as many as five drones about 25 miles from Novorossiysk. Her 20 Filipino crew and Romanian master were uninjured but abandoned ship, and were picked up by another Greek-owned bulker, the Malta-registered Elina B, 58,551 dwt, which was itself struck several hours later and continued toward Turkey.
Other vessels hit included the Fehu, 56,416 dwt, managed from the UAE and flagged in the Marshall Islands, struck while loading at Novorossiysk; the Russian-flagged Victoria V, 7,547 dwt, struck while approaching Novorossiysk; and the San Marino-registered Turkish vessel Necibe, 21,461 dwt, attacked by drones while loading wheat at Tuapse.
Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed on August 19 that a dry cargo ship carrying military material was struck southeast of Odesa, that two further ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea, and that a dry cargo ship loaded with arms and ammunition was struck at Chornomorsk along with fuel tanks and a depot in the port.
