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Russians attack vessel carrying Chinese nationals in Black Sea

Pravda.Ua • May 18, 2026

Russia has conducted a Shahed drone strike overnight on a Chinese merchant vessel in the Black Sea.

Source: Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk on

Quote: "It is unclear what the Russians were thinking when they struck a Chinese merchant vessel in our sea last night with a Shahed drone."

Details: Pletenchuk added that there were no casualties.

U pdate as of 10:10: The Navy reported that the vessel's name is KSL DEYANG. It is owned by a North Korean company, the crew is from China and the vessel sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

The vessel was at sea off the coast of Odesa Oblast.

Background: A civilian Panamanian-flagged vessel and port infrastructure were damaged in a Russian strike on the city of Izmail in Odesa Oblast on the night of 13-14 April.

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This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

Russian Drone Strike Hits Chinese Ship in Black Sea Amid Diplomatic Tensions On May 18, 2026, a Russian Shahed-type drone struck the Chinese merchant vessel KSL DEYANG in the Black Sea, near Odessa. The attack occurred in Ukrainian territorial waters and is notable for targeting a ship crewed by Chinese nationals, raising diplomatic tensions just days before a scheduled meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk confirmed there were no casualties, but the incident marks a significant escalation in Russia's maritime aggression. This attack is part of a broader pattern of Russian strikes against commercial vessels in the Black Sea, which have previously resulted in casualties. The geopolitical implications could complicate existing sanctions evasion networks between Russia and China, as both nations rely on each other amid Western sanctions. The KSL DEYANG is linked to North Korean management, further complicating the incident's ramifications. 9 sources 71

Russians attack vessel carrying Chinese nationals in Black Sea

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