Romania's Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 13 that Russia's strike against a cargo ship loaded with Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea is an "unprecedented escalation" of Moscow's war.
Russia reportedly struck the Turkish-operated, Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged merchant vessel Aya with a Kh-22 cruise missile – launched from a Russian Tu-22M bomber plane – at around 11 p.m. local time on Sept. 11 within Romania's exclusive economic zone.
The ship, which was carrying 26,550 metric tons of grain to Egypt from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, suffered damage to its port side and had to change course toward the Romanian port of Constanta. The crew was not injured.
"This event represents an unprecedented escalation of Russia's illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine," the ministry's statement read.
"Deliberately attacking a cargo ship is a serious violation of international humanitarian legal norms governing the conduct of war at sea."
Bucharest also condemned Russia's violations of the U.N. Charter through the "systematic and irresponsible bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure and grain-carrying ships," adding these attacks "threaten global food security."
The incident comes as another sign of Russia's war against Ukraine spilling over to NATO territory. Romanian authorities have repeatedly uncovered drone wreckage on its soil following Russia's mass attack against Ukrainian Danube ports, lying in the vicinity of the Romanian border.
While Bucharest said it sees no intent behind Russian drones crashing on Romanian territory, it presented the Russian attack against the vessel as deliberate.
The attack on the ship marked the first missile strike on a civilian vessel transporting grain through the Black Sea since the start of the full-scale invasion. Some vessels have been previously damaged by mines or while moored in Ukrainian ports.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is one of the key global contributors to food security and that the Ukrainian government will continue to do "everything possible" to protect Ukrainian ports and supply food to the global market.
"We are waiting for the world's reaction. Wheat and food security should never be a target for missiles," the president added.
Ukraine has exported over 64 million metric tons of goods to 46 countries since the temporary Black Sea corridor began operating, according to the Infrastructure Ministry.
"Ensuring the safety and sustainability of agricultural exports passing through the Black Sea remains critical for supporting global food security and keeping global prices under control," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
Russia is yet to comment on the incident.
Martin Fornusek
