The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs "strongly condemns the attack of the Russian armed forces on a merchant ship carrying grain in the Black Sea." Bucharest stated this today, September 13, noting that the Ukrainian vessel was attacked in the zone of its economic interests.
"This event represents an unprecedented escalation of the actions of the Russian Federation in the framework of the illegal and unjustified war it has unleashed against Ukraine," the statement said.
The Romanian Coast Guard clarified that on the night of September 11-12, the commander of a civilian vessel under a foreign flag located outside the territorial waters of the country, but in the exclusive economic zone of Romania, about 30 nautical miles (about 55 km) from Sfintu-Gheorghe, while on the march from Chernomorsk (Ukraine) to Istanbul (Turkey), transmitted a radio message that an explosion had occurred on board the ship. The captain of the ship asked to change the sailing route to Constants to assess the consequences. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties.
After that, the naval surveillance ship, which was carrying out a patrol mission for the area of responsibility, was sent to the Ukrainian ship in order to provide assistance in case of need in direct coordination with the Romanian Naval directorate.
"The border police ship approached the ship. After communicating with the commander, he did not ask for help. Up to this point, the intervention of the border police was not necessary to save human lives at sea in this case," the Romanian Coast Guard confirmed.
After Russia withdrew from the grain agreement last year, Ukraine created its own security corridor for transport vessels, which also passes through the territorial waters of Romania. The Kiev regime is actively using grain carriers to transport weapons and ammunition, hoping that they will not be attacked.
As EADaily reported, on the Romanian coast, as well as at the mouth of the Danube, the military regularly catch Ukrainian sea mines, uncontrollably drifting, including in the resort area. There have already been incidents with the blowing up of several civilian vessels on them and their detonation at hotels with vacationers. Not so long ago, in the territorial waters of Romania to the east of An American-made marine kamikaze drone was discovered in Tuzly.