"Has become the deadliest": Amid the escalation between Russia and Ukraine - the danger in the Black Sea grows
The war between Russia and Ukraine is expanding into the shipping lanes of the Black Sea. Within ten days, six ships were attacked using drones, and dozens of sailors were killed or are missing. The attacks are approaching the shores of Bulgaria and Romania, NATO members, raising fears of an expansion of the conflict and a threat to the global food supply.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is expanding into the shipping lanes of the Black Sea, turning one of Europe's most important trade arteries into a dangerous zone for commercial vessels. Within just ten days, six ships were attacked using drones and unmanned vessels, in a series of incidents that left dead and missing. An investigation by The Guardian published today (Sunday) reveals that the attacks are approaching the shores of Bulgaria and Romania, NATO members, raising fears of an expansion of the conflict. On October 6, the cargo ship "Alpha Vatan" was attacked off the coast of Bulgaria and sank; its ten crew members were not located. Six days later, the vessel "HS Dignity" was hit, and 11 of its crew were declared missing. Last Thursday, two chemical tankers were hit off the coast of Romania, and seven more sailors are missing. Since the Russian invasion in 2022, more than 60 sailors have been killed in the Black Sea, most of them in the last year. The escalation is affecting maritime trade: insurance prices have soared, and shipping companies are afraid to send vessels to the area. Behind the escalation is a struggle over trade routes, as Ukraine attacks tankers from the Russian "shadow fleet" and Moscow increases its targeting of ships carrying Ukrainian agricultural produce. The attacks are also causing concern in NATO, and Bulgaria has requested assistance in protecting the shipping lanes. Alongside the threat to sailors' lives, there is growing concern about the impact of the attacks on the global food supply, as the Black Sea serves as a major route for grain exports from Ukraine.