Ukraine Strikes Cargo Ships in Sea of Azov
Ukraine has reported striking five ships carrying illegal cargo in the Sea of Azov and in coastal waters of territories occupied by Russia. The commander of Ukraine's drone forces stated that these vessels were involved in "stealing" Ukrainian grain, as well as transporting military cargo and fuel.
The attacks occurred as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to address a major economic forum in St Petersburg, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's offer of direct talks with Putin to end the ongoing conflict.
Drone Explosion Near Romanian Coast Confirmed
In a related development, Ukraine confirmed that one of its naval drones exploded off the coast of Romania on Friday. No injuries were reported from the explosion.
Zelensky, alongside his latest peace talks proposal, noted that Russians had grown weary of Ukrainian drone and missile attacks, petrol shortages, and rising prices caused by the war, which has now entered its fourth year.
Ukraine has consistently targeted Russian military and energy infrastructure to diminish Russia's war capabilities. Putin's arrival in St Petersburg came a day after Kyiv launched a drone attack on the outskirts of the city.
Azerbaijan Reports Casualties in Sea of Azov Attacks
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry confirmed that five Azerbaijani citizens were killed in attacks on two vessels in the Sea of Azov. The ministry did not specify the perpetrators and noted that the ships were not Azerbaijani-owned.
Earlier, Robert Brovdi, Ukraine's drone commander, announced that five "illegally loitering vessels" had been struck overnight in the ports of Mariupol, Berdyansk, and in the coastal waters of what Ukraine refers to as the "temporarily occupied territories"—areas currently controlled by Russia.
Brovdi explained that the names of the five ships, which included cargo vessels and tankers, were painted over and their radars turned off to facilitate the covert theft of Ukrainian grain and the transfer of military cargo and fuel. The Azerbaijani foreign ministry identified two of the ships as the Nastra and the Circon.
Brovdi did not report any casualties resulting from the strikes.
Casualties in Ukraine from Recent Attacks
Within Ukraine, local officials reported that at least 13 people were killed and more than 70 injured over the past day. Among the deceased were four individuals who died after Russian drones struck a dairy factory outside Kyiv, according to the regional head, and a 35-year-old woman who died in a drone attack on a petrol station in Kherson.
Naval Drone Explosion in Romanian Black Sea Port
On Friday, a naval drone exploded in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta. Romania's defence ministry stated that the drone self-detonated near an oil terminal without causing casualties, although authorities reported significant damage to a ship and warehouses.
Adrian Teodor Picoiu, Constanta's chief official, told G4Media that "information from the Ukrainian side" indicated the drone was part of a group of five, with a second drone exploding in Ukraine.
Ukraine later confirmed that one of its naval drones was involved, explaining it had been knocked off course by Russian electronic interference. Moscow has not yet commented on the incident.
The other three drones remain unaccounted for, but officials stated there was no further risk. No explanation has been provided for the drones' presence in Romanian waters.
Romanian Security Concerns and Previous Incidents
Romanian President Nicusor Dan wrote on X that this was the second "significant security incident this week," following the discovery of a stray mine on a beach near the village of Vama Veche, more than 50 km north of Constanta.
The incident also occurred a week after two people were injured when a drone struck a Romanian apartment block in the eastern city of Galati, near the Ukrainian border. Romanian officials confirmed the drone was Russian, though Moscow dismissed the accusations as "unsubstantiated."
Zelensky's Open Letter and Peace Proposal
Zelensky addressed Putin in an open letter, stating it would be "wrong to simply wait" until the war in Europe regained US attention, and emphasized that peace could only be achieved "through direct engagement."
"It would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe became the focus of US attention once more, adding peace could only come 'through direct engagement'."
He also called for a full ceasefire during the proposed negotiations, a request Putin rejected earlier on Thursday.
The Kremlin confirmed receipt of the letter. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state newspaper Izvestia that Putin would likely comment on it on Friday.
Positions on Territorial Control and Peace Conditions
Putin has previously stated that compromises would be necessary for peace. His longstanding position requires Ukraine to withdraw from four regions largely occupied by Russia—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—and to abandon its efforts to join NATO.
Ukraine has rejected ceding territory, arguing that doing so would encourage further Russian invasions, as occurred in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale war eight years after illegally annexing Crimea.
The European Union, France, and the United States are among those supporting Zelensky's calls for a meeting with Putin.
