Image for representation purposes only A German-owned Bulk Carrier, Emil, came under attack by Russian drones on August 5, 2026, in the Black Sea. The vessel was unable to manoeuvre due to the severe damage, while the strikes kept coming as the crew was evacuating. The Liberian-flagged ship was 24 miles off Odesa when the incident happened. It was not targeted once, but was attacked multiple times, after which its technical systems failed, and even a fire started. The vessel had to be abandoned and left adrift. The ship’s 11 crew members, none of whom were German nationals, were safely evacuated by the authorities, and no injuries have been reported. The Emil is owned by German Shipping Company Johann M. K. Blumenthal GmbH & Co. KG, based in Hamburg. It is 292 m long, has a deadweight of about 175,000 tons and sails under the flag of Liberia. Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attack on its Telegram account, saying that drones attacked two cargo vessels in the Black Sea, which, according to Russia, was because the ships were carrying military cargo. Another vessel which came under attack in the same night was the Grain Carrier, MERA QUEEN, which is sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. One Ukrainian crew member was killed in that attack, and three others were injured. The attack on both cargo ships came within hours of a massive Russian missile and drone barrage against Ukraine, which damaged civilian buildings, shops and logistics infrastructure. Warehouses, storage areas at ports, distribution facilities of major companies and businesses were among those destroyed or damaged, including German brands like Puma and Liqui Moly along with Ukrainian retailers and logistics companies.