Russia May Strike Foreign Ships Suspected of Delivering Arms to Ukraine

Foreign vessels with unclear cargo and “questionable maritime histories” are reportedly making frequent stops at the Ukrainian port of Odessa, raising suspicions of arms deliveries to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

This is according to statements made to Russia’s state-run RIA Novosti by a source.

“We are currently working very actively in Odessa: recently, there have been more frequent calls to the port by foreign ships with not the most transparent history. There are signs that the cargo contains weapons from Kiev's allies,” the source told RIA.

The source claimed that if the information is verified through multiple channels, coordinates of the suspected weapons depots and the cargo vessels would be shared with Russian forces. “The issue is, of course, very sensitive, and therefore we are waiting for confirmation from several independent sources to be absolutely sure of the correctness of the conclusions. We will not allow Zelensky’s regime to be fed with weapons,” he added.

The port of Odessa, a key maritime hub on the Black Sea, has come under increased scrutiny due to its strategic importance in the ongoing war. Russia has previously warned against Western arms shipments reaching Ukraine through land, air, or sea.

In retaliation to attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on civilian targets, Russian forces continue to conduct strikes using precision-guided air, sea, and ground-based munitions, including drones. Moscow maintains these operations are aimed solely at military installations and defense manufacturing facilities.