Von der Leyen says she's "deeply alarmed" by new Russian escalation in the Black Sea

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on October 23, 2026 that she was "deeply alarmed by yet another Russian escalation in the Black Sea" after reporting on X that "a civilian ship with Ukrainian and Azerbaijani crew was hit off the coast of Romania." Her post linked the attack to growing concerns about the spillover of the war in Ukraine into international shipping lanes.

Details of the strike and casualties

Media reports indicate the cargo vessel Khoriv, sailing under the flag of the Comoros, was struck by a drone and caught fire. One crew member has died and three are listed as missing, according to those reports.

The Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs warned the vessel was "seriously damaged, capsized and there is an immediate risk of sinking." Romanian authorities and local rescue teams moved to the scene to fight the blaze and conduct search-and-rescue operations.

Maritime tracking service MarineTraffic shows the ship departed Turkey on October 21 and was bound for the Romanian port of Sulina. Officials and maritime analysts note that drone attacks on commercial shipping have multiplied this month along the Romanian and Bulgarian Black Sea coasts.

At least seven cargo ships were reported struck by drones near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria in October, a pattern that has heightened fears of broader disruption to civilian shipping and raised calls in Brussels for stronger protection of maritime traffic.

Von der Leyen’s public condemnation underlines an emerging European concern that attacks linked to the conflict in Ukraine could endanger neutral vessels and destabilize navigation in the Black Sea.

Photo: press material from the event