Ukraine arrests foreign-flagged ship in port of Odesa amid border tension

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s domestic security service has detained a foreign-registered ship along with its 17 crew members at the port of Odesa, according to general reports. The incident comes as maritime friction in the Black Sea continues to intensify.

In a statement posted on Telegram, authorities said the vessel was taken into custody because it had allegedly visited the Crimean port of Sevastopol multiple times — a location Ukraine deems off-limits since Russia’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula. The ship was reportedly sailing under an African flag, with a captain and crew made up of nationals from various Middle Eastern states.

Officials searched the vessel and initiated a criminal investigation on four counts, including treason and violating rules governing entry to and exit from Ukrainian territory.

The detention follows a series of Ukrainian strikes in recent weeks targeting tankers and other ships in the Black Sea — actions Russia has characterized as attempts to undermine peace efforts. Ukrainian security forces have previously impounded foreign cargo vessels accused of operating through Crimean ports, which Kyiv considers illegal. One such case occurred in April, when authorities held an Asian-flagged merchant ship and its crew.

The latest seizure comes as Ukraine accelerates its campaign against maritime assets it believes are tied to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” or supporting military transport operations, recently launching drone and missile attacks on commercial ships it claims serve those purposes.

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