Ursula von der Leyen condemns Russian attack on commercial ship

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has strongly condemned a Russian attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Black Sea. The vessel, identified as the Horev, flies the flag of the Comoros and was carrying a crew of Ukrainian and Azerbaijani nationals.

The incident occurred near the coast of Romania, a European Union member state. According to Romanian maritime authorities, 13 people were on board; nine crew members were rescued, but one person is confirmed dead and three remain missing. Preliminary evidence suggests the ship was struck by an unmanned vehicle, which triggered a fire and led to the vessel sinking.

Von der Leyen described the event as an ‘alarming escalation’ that targets innocent lives and violates international law. The attack highlights increasing risks to maritime security and commercial shipping lanes in the Black Sea region.