STORY: :: PUBLIC TELEVISION OF AZERBAIJAN
:: Released June 5, 2026
:: Russia says Ukrainian drones hit two cargo vessels headed for a Russian port
:: Azerbaijan says the attack had killed some of its citizens
:: Given as Rashid Rashidov, Crew member
"Hello, So, last night about 5 past midnight our vessel was attacked. The bridge from where the vessel is being steered and controlled suffered four strikes. The captain and the third officer were killed. Other crew members survived. Another strike hit the stern to in order to sink the vessel. The rest of the crew are alive and there are no problems now. Now we are on the Russian territory. We are about to be evacuated on the shore by a cutter. The bodies of the dead are onboard of the cutter, too."
Reuters was able to identify the cargo vessel on video as NATRA (IMO: 8729975) by the main mast, bridge and deck that matched the archive imagery. The location and date were not verified, however, the damage was confirmed by verified video of the attack. No old results were found posted online before June 5. The identity of the man on the video was not verified.
Ukraine said earlier on Friday that its drones had struck five ships in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov, as well as in the coastal waters of Russian-controlled territories.
Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukrainian drone forces, said in a statement that his drones had hit dry cargo ships and a tanker that were involved in "stealing" Ukrainian grain and transferring military cargo and fuel, with the names of the vessels painted over and their radars turned off.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said two ships - the Natra and Zircon - had been sailing from Turkey to Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia when they came under attack from Ukrainian drones.
