Ukraine says Russian drone hit Turkish-owned vessel as France summons Russian envoy

Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Friday that a cargo vessel owned by a Turkish company was hit overnight in what it described as a Russian drone attack in the Black Sea, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Ukrainian navy, the ship ANT, sailing under the flag of Vanuatu, was travelling from a port in Ukraine’s Odesa region to Turkey when a drone struck the vessel's superstructure, causing a fire. Ukraine said rescue and naval units extinguished the blaze and evacuated two injured crew members to a medical facility.

The strike on the vessel took place the same night Romanian authorities reported a drone intrusion in eastern Romania and said Russia was responsible.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday that France had summoned the Russian ambassador after what he described as a Russian drone strike on a residential building in Romania overnight.

Speaking to France Inter, Barrot condemned what he called an "irresponsible act by Russia" and said the incident would not weaken France's support for Ukraine. Romanian authorities said a drone entered the country's eastern airspace overnight and blamed Russia for the incident. The comments came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the overnight drone incursion.

In the same interview, Barrot also said an agreement between Iran and the United States was "within reach" as negotiations continue between the two countries.