Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, said in an interview with N12 that the ship his country struck in the Caspian Sea was carrying components for drones and missiles destined for Iran, not civilian cargo. He described the vessel as a legitimate military target and said Ukraine has hit such targets before and may do so again.
Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, confirmed Sunday that the Ukrainian strike on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea targeted a vessel carrying components for drones and missiles destined for Iran, rejecting Tehran's claim of civilian cargo. The confirmation, in an interview with N12, provides the most specific account yet of the operation that began unfolding Saturday.
The attack first emerged when Iran reported a strike on its merchant ship, saying one sailor was killed and another wounded (The Zioneer, Sat 13:43 Jerusalem). Ukraine's military then confirmed it struck an Iranian vessel, citing arms transfers to Russia (Sat 13:43). President Zelensky later acknowledged that Ukrainian forces hit two Iranian ships under sanctions (Sat 13:43). Iran's foreign ministry condemned the attack and warned of consequences. By Sunday morning, Iranian analysts said Tehran's official acknowledgment signaled a potential shift toward retaliation (The Zioneer, Sun 08:40 Jerusalem).
The strike extends Ukraine's maritime campaign, which has previously targeted Russian warships and shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, as The Zioneer has reported. This is the first confirmed Ukrainian strike on an Iranian-flagged vessel.
The ambassador did not provide details on the timing of the attack or the extent of damage. Iran has not yet responded to the confirmation. The cargo's composition and origin remain unverified by independent sources.
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