Drone Strike Injures Crew and Sets Nadezhda Ablaze

On 3 August the Turkish-owned ro-ro vessel Nadezhda was attacked by a swarm of drones approximately 20 nautical miles off Novorossiysk while sailing from the Russian port to Samsun, Türkiye. Three crew members were reported to be in critical condition. The attack damaged the vessel’s accommodation area and bow and sparked a fire on board. All 22 crew members, including 13 Turkish nationals, were evacuated following coordination between Türkiye’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and Russia’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Novorossiysk. Firefighting efforts were reportedly delayed due to the continuing risk of further drone attacks in the area. Turkish maritime authorities said they were closely monitoring the situation.