Asia-Pacific
Russian missile strikes Japanese cargo ship off Ukraine, reports say
Stars and Stripes
February 26, 2022
People walk on a beach in Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odessa on February 21, 2022. - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on February 21, 2022, condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition of rebel-held areas in east Ukraine, saying it violated international agreements Moscow had signed. (OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP)
A Japanese-owned cargo ship has been hit by a Russian missile in the Black Sea off Ukraine's coast, according to media reports.
The Panamanian-registered Namura Queen was damaged on Friday and one of its 20 Filipino crew members "sustained a nonlife threatening injury to his shoulder," the Japan Times reported on Saturday.
The newspaper cited the marine transportation firm in western Japan that owns the vessel.
"Ukraine authorities said the missile was fired by Russian forces, following their military invasion of Ukraine earlier this week," the report said.
The missile hit the ship's stern, causing the cargo ship to catch fire, according to the Reuters news agency.
The Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was verifying the attack’s details on Saturday, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.