The attack by a Russian X-22 missile on a civilian ship carrying wheat for Egypt occurred outside the Ukrainian grain corridor.
This was reported by Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, during the national telethon United News.
"Unfortunately, we had a similar case last year. Over time, it will become clear whether it was a targeted attack or an unintended strike. However, this does not change the fact that the Russians targeted a civilian vessel, regardless of whether it was due to irresponsible use of weapons or a deliberate attack. In any case, the incident occurred outside our grain corridor," he said.
According to the spokesperson, the Ukrainian grain corridor is operating smoothly. A significant portion of it passes through the territorial waters of NATO member countries, which is why the Russians are hesitant to create such incidents there.
"Furthermore, these ships are usually under foreign flags, and among the top users of our grain corridor are China in first place and Spain in second," he added.
Pletenchuk noted that the X-22 anti-ship missile is an outdated weapon, likely no longer in production. Additionally, its launch involves strategic aviation—this time it was a Tu-22, indicating that the Russians are reluctant to approach the Ukrainian coast closely using tactical aviation.