Between May and October 2026, 317 merchant and other vessels were struck in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, more than four times the 74 recorded in the preceding six months. The data compiled by maritime security firm Ambrey Analytics cover attacks by both sides in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Ambrey counted 137 Ukrainian attacks on vessels in the third quarter, compared with 92 Russian attacks. The pattern changed in October, when its tally was 38 Russian attacks and five Ukrainian ones. Counts for individual months cannot simply be equated with the number of vessels struck across a six-month period.
Attacks near Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO countries on the Black Sea, pose particular risks. Incidents included strikes on cargo ships near their waters and the sinking of a Greek container vessel in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. Specialists interviewed by Reuters warned that a wider area of attacks raises the danger of drawing neighboring states into the confrontation.
Shipping disruptions also affect grain trade. Russian export data reviewed by Reuters show that Russia exported about 300,000 tonnes of grain through the Black Sea and Sea of Azov in September, compared with 4.74 million tonnes in the same month a year earlier. Those figures measure exports, not the proportion of the decline attributable specifically to attacks on ships.