Five Azerbaijani citizens killed in Sea of Azov vessel attacks

Key facts

• Five Azerbaijani citizens were killed and three injured in attacks on two cargo vessels in Taganrog Bay.
• Ukraine claimed its drones struck five ships involved in illicit activities, including transferring military cargo and fuel.
• Russia blamed Ukraine for the attacks and expressed condolences to the victims' families.
• The attacked vessels' crews included 25 Azerbaijani citizens, though the ships were not Azerbaijani-owned.

Five Azerbaijani citizens were killed and three others injured in attacks on two cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry reported. The ministry stated that the crews of the vessels, which were hit in Taganrog Bay, included a total of 25 Azerbaijani citizens, but the ships themselves were not Azerbaijani-owned. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin blamed Ukraine for the attacks on cargo vessels and expressed condolences. Earlier on Friday, Ukraine announced that its drones had targeted five ships in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, as well as in the coastal waters of Russian-controlled territories. Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukrainian drone forces, claimed that his drones had successfully hit dry cargo ships and a tanker involved in 'stealing' Ukrainian grain and transferring military cargo and fuel, noting that the ships had their names painted over and their radars turned off.