Ukraine Claims Russian Mine Caused Damage to Cargo Ship in Black Sea

According to Ukrainian officials, a cargo ship with a Panamanian flag was hit by a Russian mine in the Black Sea. The explosion caused two crew members to be injured and resulted in the ship losing both speed and control. The vessel, named Vyssos, was en route to one of Ukraine's ports on the Danube river in order to load grain. This incident comes as Ukraine continues to export grain through self-declared maritime corridors following Russia's withdrawal from a UN-backed Black Sea grain deal. Ukrainian authorities have released a photo showing the explosion, which ignited a fire on the upper deck. Reports suggest that the captain deliberately ran the ship aground to prevent it from sinking. Efforts are now underway to tow the damaged ship to port for repairs. Ukraine has been actively targeting Russian forces in Russian-occupied Crimea to reduce the threat they pose to shipping in the Black Sea. The Russian fleet, previously stationed in Sevastopol, has been relocated to Novorossiysk following a missile strike on its headquarters. Despite these efforts, Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports continue and the presence of mines in the area remains a constant danger for ships. Russia's defense ministry has announced that it considers all cargo ships bound for Ukraine in the Black Sea as potential military targets. In a separate incident on November 8, a Russian missile struck a Liberian-flagged ship entering the port of Odesa, resulting in at least one fatality.