Ukrainian missile strike sinks ferry in Russian port Kavkaz
An explosion has reportedly occurred at the Port of Kavkaz in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, after a missile hit a ferry, reports the Telegram channel “Crimean Wind”.
Local sources from Kerch reported that a Ukrainian missile struck the ferry in the port. According to their reports, the ferry targeted was the "Aquatrader." “Crimean Wind” added that the fire on the ferry was severe.
Meanwhile, another Telegram channel, KіberBoroshno , stated that Ukrainian Forces targeted the ferry "Conro Trader" in the Russian port.
“This was the only large ferry operating between Kerch and Russia. The photo shows the ferry loaded with wagons carrying petroleum products in the waters of the Kerch Fish Port on August 18, 2024,” the message noted.
The attack has been confirmed by the Krasnodar Krai emergency operations center.
Head of the Temryuk district, Fedor Babenkov, stated that 30 fuel tanks were on board the ferry. He added that details regarding the number of crew members—whether there were any casualties or injuries—are still being clarified.
Later, the Krasnodar Krai emergency operations center reported that the ferry in the waters of the Port of Kavkaz had sunk due to the damages sustained. They also claimed that there were no fire hotspots within the port’s territory.
Russian Officials described the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and promised more details soon about the fire's extent and casualties. However, later statements from the operational headquarters confirmed that the ferry sank due to sustained damage. A fire train and 34 other units were deployed to extinguish the flames. According to Temryuk District head Fyodor Babenkov, the ferry was carrying 30 fuel tanks.
Regional authorities insist that all port staff were evacuated to a safe perimeter. Additionally, traffic on the Crimean Bridge, situated in the Kerch Strait along with Port "Kavkaz," was halted for approximately one hour.
Preliminary reports indicate that five people and 15 crew members were on the ferry during the attack.
Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev announced that 17 crew members have been rescued during the search operation, with two still missing.
Some media outlets and Telegram channels claim the ferry was hit by a Ukrainian Neptune missile. Others suggest it was a Storm Shadow missile.
Separately, on August 18, a drone attack on an oil depot in Russia's Rostov region ignited a massive fire in the city of Proletarsk, 300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The blaze remains uncontrolled.