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Ukraine's navy said Russia carried out an attack on a civilian vessel on 13 December 2025 that was transporting Ukrainian sunflower oil to Egypt.
The statement said: "The Russian Federation launched a targeted strike using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on the Turkish-flagged vessel VIVA, which was bound for Egypt carrying sunflower oil."
According to the Ukrainian navy, the vessel was passing through the "grain corridor" at the time. There are 11 Turkish nationals on board the ship.
The report noted that Russian forces targeted the vessel on the open sea, within Ukraine's exclusive economic zone and beyond the reach of Ukrainian air defences.
The Ukrainian navy said the Russian Federation was flagrantly and cynically violating the rules of international maritime law. It added that such actions directly contradict the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and constitute a blatant breach of the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea.
The statement said: "The naval forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are currently in contact with the ship's captain, and the maritime search and rescue service is ready to provide assistance if needed."
The crew was unharmed, and the vessel is continuing on its way to its destination port.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the strike on the civilian vessel, describing it as "an attack on food security."
In his evening address, Zelensky said: "The Turkish-owned ship was carrying food. Targeting such vessels, which have nothing to do with the war, is a direct challenge from Russia to the entire world. We will discuss with our partners how to respond to this. There will be a response."