Yevgen Korniychuk told N12 that the ship Ukraine struck in the Caspian Sea contained 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. He also stated that Ukraine and Israel are fighting the same enemy from different sides of the same 'axis of evil.'
Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, confirmed on Sunday morning in an interview with N12 that the vessel Ukraine struck in the Caspian Sea was carrying components for drones and missiles destined for Iran, and described it as a legitimate military target. The remarks provide the first official confirmation of the strike's justification from a Ukrainian diplomat on an Israeli platform, and come after a day of escalating reports and threats between Kyiv and Tehran.
The story unfolded on Saturday, July 25, when Ukraine's military first announced it had struck an Iranian military vessel in the Caspian Sea, citing Iranian arms transfers to Russia (13:43 Jerusalem). Iran's Foreign Ministry quickly condemned the attack, reporting one sailor killed and another wounded, and warning of self-defense. Later that same day, President Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck two Iranian ships under sanctions, as well as a Russian warship and industrial targets inside Russia. In response, Iran threatened consequences for "the regime in Kyiv and its supporters," and Iranian analysts noted that Tehran's official acknowledgment of the attacks marked a shift in approach, potentially signaling retaliation. The ambassador's interview on Sunday morning provided the first on-record characterization of the cargo as military components.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Ukraine's maritime campaign against Russian naval assets and shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, including strikes on tankers and S-400 launchers. The ambassador also stated that Ukraine and Israel are fighting the same enemy from different sides of the same "axis of evil," highlighting a shared strategic threat from Iran. The Zioneer has also covered Iran's allegations of US targeting of its ships, though those claims remain unverified.
It remains unclear exactly when and where the strike occurred, and no independent verification of the ship's cargo or the reported casualties has been published. Iran's earlier threats of retaliation have not yet materialized, and it is unknown whether Tehran will respond to the ambassador's confirmation.
13 developments
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Source and signal
- Open-source intake