Newsletters
Russian forces on Monday targeted the Turkish-owned vessel ORINDA while it was anchored at Ukraine’s Izmail Port in the Odesa region, sparking a fire on board and prompting nearby evacuations due to explosion risks.
Since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war, several Turkish-flagged or Turkish-owned commercial vessels in the Black Sea have been damaged by conflict-related strikes. In most cases, ships anchored near Ukrainian ports sustained damage, but crew members escaped without injury.
The ship, carrying approximately 4,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was struck during Russia’s continued assault on Ukrainian infrastructure and maritime targets. Residents of the Romanian village of Plauru, located across the Danube River from Izmail, were evacuated after the blaze broke out on the vessel.
Türkiye’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs confirmed that all 16 Turkish crew members safely evacuated the vessel.
None of them was injured, and they have been moved to a secure location, according to the statement.
Ukrainian fire crews responded to extinguish the blaze. Authorities said a detailed assessment of the damage would be conducted once the fire was fully contained. Turkish officials added that they are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with relevant Ukrainian authorities.
In a separate incident Monday, a Russian missile strike hit an energy facility operated by Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, in Odesa. The attack left 36,500 households without electricity. Officials said power had been restored to about 4,000 homes via backup lines, while repairs for the remaining 32,500 would take considerable time.
4 min read
