Ukrainian drones hit ships in the Sea of Azov, killing Azerbaijani sailors
Ukrainian drones struck two cargo ships — the Natra and the Zircon — in the Sea of Azov, killing five Azerbaijani crew. Kyiv says they were Russia's sanctions-evading 'shadow fleet'; Azerbaijan says civilian sailors died on commercial vessels.
The summary above is a neutral framing. Below, each side reports the same story in its own words — judge for yourself.
Kyiv frames its Sea of Azov strikes as hitting Russia's war machine — sanctions-evading 'shadow fleet' ships moving grain and fuel with names obscured and radars switched off, alongside Russian patrol vessels — all legitimate military targets.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says the vessels carried 25 Azerbaijani nationals and that five civilians were killed and three wounded — sailors on commercial cargo ships sailing in ballast, not combatants.
