Ukraine attacks Iranian-linked vessels in Caspian Sea

Ukrainian drones struck several cargo ships in the Caspian Sea, including a vessel Iran says was carrying its commercial flag. The attack killed a sailor and wounded others, prompting Tehran to summon Ukraine's top diplomat and consider a retaliatory strike on a Ukrainian port. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi described the raid as a "clear violation of the UN Charter" allegedly carried out at Israel's request.

The Ukrainian Security Service claimed the targets were sanctioned ships transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia, underscoring the strategic importance of the International North‑South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that links Russia, Iran and India. President Volodymyr Zelensky presented the operation as part of a broader campaign to disrupt logistics supporting Russia's war effort.