Signal Ukrainian Naval Drones Sink Rosatom-Owned Cargo Ship Yanina in Black Sea

Summary

A cargo ship named Yanina, owned by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom's shipping subsidiary FESCO, sank in the Black Sea after being struck by two Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels, The Moscow Times reported on August 1, 2026. Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said the ship was struck approximately 130 nautical miles from the Russian port of Novorossiysk while in international waters, with Russian state media indicating the attack occurred late on July 31. The vessel was carrying civilian cargo including frozen food and construction materials, and Rosatom stated there was no indication it was engaged in nuclear-related activities or carrying nuclear material. All 17 crew members were rescued in a search-and-rescue operation involving Russian Black Sea Fleet naval aviation and the merchant vessel Delphinus. President Zelenskyy noted the ship had already been designated as a sanctioned vessel. Ukraine separately reported striking three Russian oil refineries in Ufa around the same time.