Five Azerbaijanis killed in drone attack on cargo ships in Sea of Azov: Ministry

Five Azerbaijani nationals have been killed and three others wounded in a drone attack, blamed on Ukraine, on two foreign cargo ships in the Sea of Azov.

In a statement on Friday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said the vessels, identified as Natra and Zirkon, were carrying a total of 25 Azerbaijani citizens among their crews when they came under an overnight drone attack in the Taganrog Bay area of the Sea of Azov.

"The two cargo ships are not owned by the Azerbaijani state. According to information provided by Russian authorities, five Azerbaijani citizens were killed and three others wounded in the attack. The injured crew members were hospitalized in the Russian city of Yeysk," he said.

According to the ministry, several staff members from Azerbaijan's Embassy in Russia have been dispatched to the scene.

"The issues related to the condition of our citizens, their repatriation and the provision of necessary consular assistance are being closely monitored," Hajizada said.

The ministry offered condolences to the families and relatives of those killed, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Ukraine carried out the attack.

"According to available information, the ships were attacked by Ukrainian drones, further confirming the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime, which increasingly targets civilians and civilian infrastructure," she said.

The commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), Robert Brovdi, said that the USF had struck cargo ships in ports on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov.

"The birds of the USF hit five illegally roaming vessels during the night of June 5 in the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk," he said on Telegram.

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