One dead as Russian missile hits Cypriot-owned ship in Ukraine

One person has been killed and four more have been injured after a Russian missile hit a Cypriot-owned ship entering the port of Odessa, in Ukraine, on Wednesday.

The ship, named the Kmax Ruler, belonged to Cypriot shipping company Cyprus Sea Lines. It was owned by Andreas Hadjiyiannis, the chairman of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners

It sailed under the Liberian flag and was entering the port to load iron ore bound for China, according to Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov.

Kubrakov said Russia had carried out a total of 21 targeted attacks on port infrastructure since it pulled out of the United Nations-brokered deal which had guaranteed the safe shipment of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.

The ship was built in 2009, had a length of 230 metres and a width of 37 metres, and had a capacity of 91,800 deadweight tonnage.

The deputy shipping ministry told the Cyprus Mail they had no comment to add at this time.