At least three people have been killed and 21 injured after a woman brought a homemade bomb near a central Moscow restaurant, according to Russian officials.
The explosion, which occurred at around 7:55pm local time (5:55pm BST), occurred near an upscale Italian restaurant located in one of Moscow's seven Stalin-era skyscrapers at Kudrinkskaya Square, police said.
Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee said that an unidentified woman had tried to get into the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard, Russian news agencies reported.
Among the dead were the security guard, the unnamed woman, and another visitor, the committee added.
The Kommersant daily newspaper cited sources as saying that the bomb had been intended to maim and kill guests who were enjoying themselves on the restaurant's summer terrace outside.
The restaurant's website said the venue had been closed on Saturday for a private event, but it is unclear who was present.
There is not yet any suggestion that the explosion is linked to the war in Ukraine.
It came after Kyiv struck three Russian oil refineries nearly 1,600 kilometres beyond enemy lines, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Read MoreRipped from their families and shipped to Russia: The tragic story of Ukraine’s children
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Key Points
- Three killed and 21 injured in IED explosion at Moscow restaurant - Russian officials
- Moscow bomb aimed to kill guests of well-guarded party in upscale Italian restaurant - report
- In pictures: Aftermath of Moscow cafe explosion as three killed
- Kyiv strikes three oil refineries 1,600km deep inside Russia - Zelensky
- Russia lost more than 42,000 troops last month 2026 record, claims Kyiv
- Russia 'using Ceuta crisis to sow destabilisation' across Europe
As millions jet off on holiday, meet the men choosing to go to a warzone with total strangers
07:23 , Holly EvansIt’s hard to travel off the beaten track any more. Thanks to social media, no site is unseen, no viewpoint unphotographed, and no hidden gem concealed for long. According to the World Tourism Barometer, this is pushing more of us to holiday further afield – Brazil, Curaçao and Uzbekistan saw some of the largest increases in visitor numbers last year.
But some are willing to take things further than others. For four years, one group has seen plenty of new sights – by driving into an active warzone.
Ukrainian Action, a charity set up after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has just sent its 500th vehicle full of aid and equipment across Europe to support Ukrainians in need on and off the front line. With Russian airstrikes actively targeting ordinary homes, civilian businesses, and infrastructure facilities with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least 26 people, including four children, in separate attacks this week, Ukraine is a highly volatile place to be.
Read the full article here:
As millions jet off on holiday, meet the men going to a warzone with total strangers
Pictures: Cleanup and rescue operations completed in Kyiv after Russian attack
06:45 , Shweta SharmaEmergency services in Kyiv have completed rescue and recovery operations following Russia's attack overnight into Saturday, with officials confirming that nine people were killed and 33 others injured.
A total of 206 emergency personnel and 42 pieces of equipment were deployed to respond to the aftermath of the strike.
Russia fired a record number of missiles at Ukraine in July
06:20 , Shweta SharmaRussia fired a record 376 missiles at Ukraine in July, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data.
According to reports published by Kyiv’s air force, Russia has launched more than twice the number of missiles at Ukraine in July than in June.
A significant number of these attacks targeted Kyiv, which saw some of the deadliest strikes.
Russia also fired 4,956 long-range drones at Ukraine during the month, down 14 per cent on June.
Moscow attack that killed three in pictures
05:50 , Shweta SharmaPictures showed emergency services and heavily armed security personnel surrounding the blast site outside the Balzi Rossi restaurant in central Moscow.
Three people were killed and at least 21 injured after a bomb exploded outside an upscale Italian restaurant on Saturday evening.
Ukraine says it struck Russian container ship in Black Sea
05:30 , Shweta SharmaUkraine struck a sanctioned Russian-flagged container ship in the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
The vessel, Yanina, has a capacity of more than 100,000 metric tonnes and was targeted during Ukrainian operations in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov using domestically produced "middle-strike" weapons, Zelensky said.
"Our targets are consistently defined facilities that sustain the war effort," he wrote, adding: "Grateful to Ukrainian warriors who are bringing the war back to Russia and responding to its attacks against life."
Grateful to Ukrainian warriors who are bringing the war back to Russia and responding to its attacks against life. Our targets are consistently defined facilities that sustain the war effort.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 1, 2026
Middle strikes were carried out overnight, with successful hits in the Black Sea and… pic.twitter.com/B4q8HMVl0j
Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom confirmed the strike, saying the ship was hit by two Ukrainian naval drones in international waters about 130 nautical miles from the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev said all 17 crew members were rescued.
How the Moscow restaurant attack unfolded
05:21 , Shweta SharmaA bomb explosion near an upscale Italian restaurant in central Moscow killed three people and injured at least 21 on Saturday evening in what Russian authorities described as a terrorist attack.
The blast occurred shortly before 8pm local time outside the Balzi Rossi restaurant at Kudrinskaya Square, one of Moscow's landmark Stalin-era skyscrapers.
Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee said an unidentified woman attempted to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. Moments later, the explosive device she was carrying detonated.
The woman, the security guard and a restaurant customer were killed in the explosion, while at least 21 others suffered injuries of varying severity, according to police.
State news agency RIA Novosti published footage showing heavily armed security forces securing the area after the blast. Authorities cordoned off the scene and launched an investigation but did not identify the victims or say who they believed was behind the attack.
Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators believe the bomb was intended to target guests seated on the restaurant's outdoor terrace. The newspaper said the device may have been detonated remotely and that the woman carrying it may not have known it contained explosives. These reports have not been independently verified.
Russian oil refinery and military airbase struck - reports
05:06 , Shweta SharmaUkrainian drones struck a Russian military airbase in the city of Engels and an oil refinery in nearby Saratov overnight, according to Russian officials and monitoring channels, with regional authorities saying two people were killed.
Explosions were reported at the Engels airbase, while a fire broke out at the Saratov oil refinery after it was hit by drones, Kyiv Independent reported, citing a Telegram monitoring channel Exilenova Plus.
Saratov region Governor Roman Busargin said two people were killed in the attacks and that civilian infrastructure in both cities was damaged. He did not specify whether the deaths occurred at the military or industrial sites.
The reports could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian military.
Lithuania condemns Russian strike near embassy, calls it 'campaign of terror'
05:00 , Shweta SharmaLithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda condemned Russia's latest attack on Kyiv after a missile exploded just steps from Lithuania's embassy, damaging the building but causing no injuries to embassy staff.
"This is yet another reminder that Russia's terror knows no limits. And that Ukraine is defending not only its own people, but the security of all Europe," Nauseda said, urging allies to provide Ukraine with more modern air defence systems.
Lithuania's foreign ministry said it will summon a Russian representative in Vilnius over the strike.
Foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys said Russia's "campaign of terror" showed no willingness to seek peace.
"The Kremlin’s objective remains the same: destruction, death and intimidation. The response is clear: increase pressure on Russia through stronger sanctions and step up support for Ukraine," Budrys said.
What we know about Russia's missile salvo that killed nine people
04:30 , Shweta SharmaAt least nine people were killed and 30 others injured after Russia launched another barrage of ballistic missiles on Kyiv yesterday.
The attack marked the second large-scale Russian strike in just 48 hours.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) said rescue operations were ongoing, with a total of 105 people rescued from damaged buildings.
Fires broke out, while residential buildings and industrial sites were damaged across at least five districts of the city.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said 18 residential buildings, a school, the Lithuanian embassy and critical infrastructure were among the sites damaged in the attacks.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia fired a total of 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, as well as 85 Shahed-type drones overnight.
Only two missiles were intercepted, while 154 drones were shot down.
"Only one ballistic missile was shot down tonight simply because there are no missiles for the Patriots," Zelensky said.
"And it is precisely this shortage of interceptors against ballistic missiles that only encourages Russia to launch such strikes against life."
Crimean families queue for hot meals as Ukraine hits power supply
03:54 , Shweta SharmaResidents in the Russian-occupied Crimean town of Massandra queued for free hot meals as prolonged power outages caused by Ukrainian strikes left many unable to cook at home.
Cities and towns across Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, have had to cope with limited fuel supplies for much of the summer amid Ukrainian attacks on power plants and other infrastructure.
Ukraine, whose own cities have been under repeated attack since Moscow sent thousands of troops into the country in 2022, says it is "bringing the war back home to Russia" by intensifying strikes deep inside the country and on territory its neighbour controls.
Standing beside boiling vats of buckwheat, later to be added to plates of reheated tinned beef, Massandra town administration head Oksana Madyud said her workers were serving roughly 200 people per day.
"We're preparing hot meals for people, as under the current circumstances not everyone has the means to cook hot food on electric hobs," she said.
One local woman, Marina, said pain in her leg was making the climb down from her 10th-floor apartment difficult, but the lack of electricity had sent her hunting for a gas cooker and some cylinders.
"There's nothing up there," she said, referring to her apartment.
"We've got an electric cooker - that's it."Another older resident, Alexandra, said she had been lured down by the smell of the lunch after going without electricity for 10 days.
"They turned it back on today, at 4 o'clock" in the afternoon, but she wasn't sure the lights would still be on when she returned home, she added.
'Ukrainian drones' sink Rosatom vessel in Black Sea
03:00 , Alex CroftTwo Ukrainian drones hit and sank a civilian vessel owned by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom sailing in the Black Sea overnight on Friday, the company's head, Alexei Likhachev, said in a statement on Saturday.
All 17 crew members survived the attack on the ship, which was transporting goods such as frozen food and construction materials, Likhachev added.
"Such an attack can only be described as piracy and maritime robbery," he said.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on ships that they say are aiding the other side's war effort.
Watch: Trump says he wants Zelensky and Putin to end Ukraine war
01:30 , Alex CroftZelensky says latest attacks show Ukraine's need for Patriot missiles
00:00 , Alex CroftPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has pressed the US and other Western partners regarding Ukraine’s need for more Patriot anti-ballistic missile defence systems to counter aerial attacks from Russia.
“Every package of ballistic missile interceptors saves the lives of our people. And every night without them results in more casualties,” he wrote on X following the latest attacks.
The Ukrainian leader late Friday said he spoke to US vice president JD Vance and discussed a meeting with president Donald Trump earlier this week in Washington, which Zelensky described as “positive and productive.”
“The Russian air strikes on our country continue and air defence, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, remains a top priority,” Zelensky said on Friday in a post on Telegram.
Moscow bomb aimed to maim and kill guests of well-guarded party in upscale Italian restaurant - report
23:24 , Alex CroftThe Kommersant daily newspaper has cited sources as saying that the bomb had been intended to maim and kill guests who were enjoying themselves on the upscale Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant's summer terrace outside.
The restaurant's website said the venue had been closed on Saturday for a private event, but it is unclear who was present.
The party, the paper reported, was heavily guarded, which helped prevent casualties.
Kommersant added that preliminary reports suggest the courier likely didn’t know what the contents of the package were.
The newspaper reported that the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee is investigating the incident as a terrorism crime.
Latest pictures from the scene of the explosion in Moscow
23:19 , Alex Croft
Russia strikes fuel storage in Ukrainian port of Odesa
23:00 , Alex CroftRussian forces carried out strikes on fuel storage tanks in the Ukrainian port of Odesa, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Defence Ministry.
The strikes hit a marine tugboat repurposed for use by the Ukrainian army in the port of Mykolaiv.
The Independent could not verify the battlefield reports.
Queue for hot meals in Crimea as Ukraine inflicts damage onto power supply
22:35 , Alex CroftUnder a blazing summer sun, a chef poured oil into huge pots set up on a street in the Crimean town of Massandra, preparing to serve dozens of people queuing for a hot meal after Ukrainian attacks cut power to their own kitchens.
Cities and towns across Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, have had to cope with limited fuel supplies for much of the summer amid Ukrainian attacks on power plants and other infrastructure.
Ukraine, whose own cities have been under repeated attack since Moscow sent thousands of troops into the country in 2022, says it is "bringing the war back home to Russia" by intensifying strikes deep inside the country and on territory its neighbour controls.
Standing beside boiling vats of buckwheat, later to be added to plates of reheated tinned beef, Massandra town administration head Oksana Madyud said her workers were serving roughly 200 people per day.
"We're preparng hot meals for people, as under the current circumstances not everyone has the means to cook hot food on electric hobs," she said.
One local woman, Marina, said pain in her leg was making the climb down from her 10th-floor apartment difficult, but the lack of electricity had sent her hunting for a gas cooker and some cylinders.
"There's nothing up there," she said, referring to her apartment. "We've got an electric cooker - that's it."
With Reuters.
In pictures: Aftermath of Moscow cafe explosion as three killed
22:10 , Alex Croft
Injury toll revised to 21 as three killed by IED in Moscow restaurant - Russian officials
21:59 , Alex CroftAs we earlier reported, three people were killed in an explosion near a cafe in central Moscow, according to Russian officials.
Moscow’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee has now confirmed that the explosion was of an improvised explosive device that a woman attempted to carry into the eatery. The explosion took place at 7:55pm local time (5:55pm BST).
This followed previous reports that a gas canister had exploded.
The committee also revised the injury toll from 15 people to 21, meaning there are at least 24 casualties in total.
Those killed included “a security guard who prevented an unknown woman suspected of trying to carry the explosive device into the restaurant, the unknown woman and one of the visitors," a statement from the committee read, according to the Tass news agency.
Watch: ‘Scared’ British tourist in Poland films moment air raid sirens sound during Russian strikes in Ukraine
21:00 , Alex CroftA British tourist in Poland has captured on camera the moment air raid sirens started blaring during Russian strikes in Ukraine.
In the early hours of Thursday (30 July), Ryan, who was staying in Lublin, was woken to the sounds of sirens. “As a British tourist this scared the hell out of me,” he wrote.
The alarm was triggered by Russian airstrikes in neighbouring Ukraine, which killed eight people. The sirens stopped after a few minutes.
Poland’s defence minister Wladyslav Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the country endured an “extremely tough night”, which saw sirens blare, F-16 fighter jets scrambled and a suspected Russian missile crash into a field.
You can watch the moment here:
‘Scared’ British tourist in Poland woken by air raid sirens during Ukraine strikes
Mapped: Where is the current Ukraine frontline?
20:00 , Alex CroftThree killed and 15 injured in explosion near Moscow cafe - reports
19:44 , Alex CroftThree people were killed and 15 injured in an explosion near a cafe in central Moscow, TASS reported on Saturday, citing an official.
"The Interior Ministry’s Moscow branch is working at the site of the incident. According to available information, an explosion occurred near a summer cafe at about 08:10 p.m. (05:10 p.m. GMT) today, as a result of which three people were killed and 15 were injured in various degrees of severity," the official told the agency.
We’re working to bring you more as you get it.
Moscow claims Russian forces have taken control of two Ukrainian villages
19:01 , Alex CroftRussian forces have taken control of two more villages across two Ukrainian regions, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday.
The villages are Olgivka in the northern Kharkiv region and Lyubytske in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.
The Independent could not independently confirm the battlefield reports.
First Look | The tragic story of Ukraine’s children ripped from their families and shipped to Russia
18:00 , Alex CroftSofia is an 11-year-old Ukrainian girl with scars on her face and light brown hair in a ponytail. She recalls vividly what happened when Russian troops entered her village.
“They took the 16-year-old girls to their place,” she recounts tearfully. “When the girls came back, their clothes were torn. Everything was torn. The Russians behaved badly with those girls.
“Everyone was panicking. We didn’t know what to do, where to go. The Russians came to my house. They checked my toys, my hairpins, and my clothes… They threatened my parents. They had weapons. If you say anything, they might kill you.”
The alleged sexual assaults of young girls are one of the shocking accounts in an extraordinary new documentary called Can I Go Home Now? about the experiences of Ukrainian children during the five-year-long Russian invasion. Viewed by The Independent on an exclusive basis, the film contains interviews with Ukrainian boys and girls; no adult voices are present.
Produced and directed by Pritan Ambroase, a 35-year-old philanthropist and owner of the Hollywood Insider, the film was made with help from humanitarian charities who gave access to 500 children.
Recap: Trump casts doubt on allowing Ukraine Patriot missile production
17:30 , Shweta SharmaUS president Donald Trump said he was "not sure" he would let Ukraine build Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles.
"It's a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we licence to," the president said in his comments to FT yesterday. This comes weeks after offering to share the license of the coveted air defence systems with the war-hit nation.
On 10 July at the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said: “We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Trump said. “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.”
Ukraine has been requesting the US for Patriot missiles to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, drones and bombs.
Russia lost more than 42,000 troops last month 2026 record, claims Kyiv
16:55 , Alex CroftThe Ukrainian military has claimed Russia lost more troops in July than any other month so far this year, with 42,860 either wounded or killed.
In a post on Facebook, Kyiv’s General Staff listed Moscow’s troop casualties as follows:
- • January: 31,710
- • February: 26,090
- • March: 31,960
- • April: 32,980
- • May: 33,760
- • June: 39,290
- • July: 42,860 (record number for 2026)
Russia’s total personnel losses over the first seven months of the year totals at 238,650, the General Staff said.
IAEA says Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has lost off-site power
16:20 , Alex CroftThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Saturday that Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant had lost off-site power for the 23rd time since the military conflict began.
The cause of the latest off-site power loss, which lasted nearly two hours, is not yet known, the IAEA said.
Kyiv strikes three oil refineries 1,600km deep inside Russia - Zelensky
15:45 , Alex CroftUkraine hit the infrastructure of three Russian oil refineries in the Bashkortostan region, nearly 1,600 kilometres from the border, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Mr Zelensky said on the Telegram app that his troops also sank a sanctioned Russian container ship, Yanina, sailing under the Russian flag and with a capacity of more than 100,000 tons, and hit other targets in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
"Our targets are consistently defined facilities that sustain the war effort," Mr Zelensky said.
Grateful to Ukrainian warriors who are bringing the war back to Russia and responding to its attacks against life. Our targets are consistently defined facilities that sustain the war effort.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 1, 2026
Middle strikes were carried out overnight, with successful hits in the Black Sea and… pic.twitter.com/B4q8HMVl0j
Pictures show damage after Russian attack near Ukrainian embassy in Lithuana
15:15 , Shweta SharmaLithuania's embassy in Kyiv was damaged on Saturday after two Russian missiles struck nearby, the Lithuanian foreign ministry said.
No injuries were reported, but the blasts shattered the embassy's windows, damaged solar panels and scattered debris across the grounds, a ministry spokesperson said, according to TRT World.
Russia claims attacks on Ukrainian military targets
14:45 , Shweta SharmaRussia's defence ministry has claimed that its overnight missile strikes targeted Ukraine's military-industrial infrastructure rather than civilian sites.
Without evidence, it claimed that it hit radio-electronics factories in Kyiv that it claims manufacture components for Ukrainian missiles and drones.
It claimed to have struck a facility allegedly producing electronic warfare (EW) equipment, including systems designed to jam the guidance of precision weapons.
Also, "two dry cargo ships were struck yesterday while transiting the sea south of Odessa; they were delivering military cargo to one of Ukraine’s ports," the military said.
However, Ukrainian officials reported damage to residential neighbourhoods. Images from the capital showed a residential complex engulfed in flames as emergency crews responded to the strikes.
'It's getting worse', residents describe rising Russian attacks
14:15 , Shweta SharmaLiudmyla Nakonechna, 64, who is undergoing cancer treatment, said she was woken up by loud explosions at 1.30am tonight.
"I ran into the corridor and was standing there when the bathroom door was blown off its hinges and struck me in the leg," said Nakonechna, who was in a basement shelter where she was taking cover as a second air alarm sounded for another wave.
"I heard the sound of shattering glass. My balcony was covered in glass and it was completely blown apart, while the windows in my bedroom were also blown out."
Nakonechna had not taken cover in a shelter since Russia's full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, but the stress became too much, she said.
"It's getting worse by the day," Nakonechna said. "Whereas before there was an attack once every two weeks, or maybe once a week, now it happens practically every day. It is incredibly hard to bear this psychologically."
Latest picture capture damage and destruction across Ukraine
13:45 , Shweta SharmaRussia slammed Ukrainian cities with missile and drone attacks on Saturday, killing nine people and causing damage to residential buildings.
A five-story residential building in the city's Solomianskyi District was damaged by falling debris and a fire broke out.
Rescue workers evacuated 35 people from the upper floors of the building and two people died, with eight reported injured, including two children, according to Ukraine's state emergency service.
In the Darnytskyi District of Kyiv, seven people were killed and another 14 injured after the attack caused fires and damage to houses, vehicles, an administrative and non-residential building, the emergency services said.
Elsewhere, emergency workers extinguished a fire in a non-residential building in the capital's Shevchenkivskyi district.
Zelensky says latest attacks show Ukraine's need for Patriot missiles
13:15 , Adam WithnallPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has pressed the US and other Western partners regarding Ukraine’s need for more Patriot anti-ballistic missile defence systems to counter aerial attacks from Russia.
“Every package of ballistic missile interceptors saves the lives of our people. And every night without them results in more casualties,” he wrote on X following the latest attacks.
The Ukrainian leader late Friday said he spoke to US vice president JD Vance and discussed a meeting with president Donald Trump earlier this week in Washington, which Zelensky described as “positive and productive.”
“The Russian air strikes on our country continue and air defence, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, remains a top priority,” Zelensky said on Friday in a post on Telegram.
Lithuania's embassy in Kyiv damaged by missile strike
12:45 , Adam WithnallLithuania’s foreign minister says the country’s embassy in Kyiv was damaged when missiles struck nearby overnight.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed it had launched a “massive strike” against “Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities and logistics centres in Kyiv.”
Nine dead across two Kyiv districts in intense Russian barrage
12:15 , Adam WithnallMore details are emerging on the impacts across Kyiv from Russia's overnight missile and drone attack.
A five-story residential building in the city's Solomianskyi District was damaged by falling debris and a fire broke out. Rescue workers evacuated 35 people from the upper floors of the building and two people died, with eight reported injured, including two children, according to Ukraine’s state emergency service.
In the Darnytskyi District of Kyiv, seven people were killed and another 14 injured after the attack caused fires and damage to houses, vehicles, an administrative and non-residential building, the emergency services said.
Elsewhere, emergency workers extinguished a fire in a non-residential building in the capital’s Shevchenkivskyi district. There was no additional information about earlier reports by the district mayor that people were trapped in another residential building.
Damage to commercial and residential buildings was reported in two other city districts.
Russian troops 'capture two more villages' in Ukraine
11:59 , Sam RkainaRussian forces took control of two more villages across two Ukrainian regions, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the defence ministry.
The villages are Olgivka in the northern Kharkiv region and Lyubytske in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.
The battlefield reports have yet to be independently verified.
'Ukrainian drones' sink Rosatom vessel in Black Sea
11:04 , Adam WithnallTwo Ukrainian drones hit and sank a civilian vessel owned by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom sailing in the Black Sea overnight, the company's head, Alexei Likhachev, said in a statement on Saturday.
All 17 crew members survived the attack on the ship, which was transporting goods such as frozen food and construction materials, Likhachev added.
"Such an attack can only be described as piracy and maritime robbery," he said.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on ships that they say are aiding the other side's war effort.
Ukraine downs just one of 27 ballistic missiles fired overnight, Zelensky says
10:00 , Adam WithnallUkraine only succeeded in downing one of 27 Russian ballistic missiles fired during this morning’s aerial assault, Volodymyr Zelensky says.
Zelensky said Russia launched a total of 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles and 185 attack drones. The capital Kyiv was the primary target of the attack, he said.
The Ukrainian president has repeatedly called on allies including the US to help support his country’s air defences, with supplies of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles critically low.
Why Ukraine is targeting Russia’s ‘Amazon’ Wildberries with major strikes
09:30 , Shweta SharmaUkraine launched a wave of drone strikes deep into Russia this week, hitting a major logistics hub belonging to e-commerce Wildberries in the Ryazan region.
Ukrainian drones struck two more warehouses belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries overnight on Thursday, sparking fires at both sites, the company and a regional official said.
Ukraine has attacked about a dozen Wildberries sites since July 18 in a bid to disrupt the operations of the company, a linchpin of the consumer economy that is often described as Russia's answer to Amazon. Kyiv accused the firm of helping to bolster Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
Why Ukraine is targeting Russia’s ‘Amazon’ Wildberries with major strikes
Ukraine pleads for more air defences after 'hell of a night in Kyiv'
09:00 , Shweta SharmaUkrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said it was “a hell of a night in Kyiv” after Russia launched a major attack involving missile and drone strikes.
"Failing to achieve its goals on the battlefield, Russia is intensifying its air attacks and terror against civilians. Ukraine urgently needs additional air and missile defence systems and interceptors,” he said.
"It is the battle for the skies that will define the trajectory of this war," Sybiha said. "The stronger the air shield over Ukraine, the closer peace becomes."
Kyiv resident recounts early morning strikes
08:40 , Shweta SharmaNadiia Komarova, a 68-year-old concierge at an apartment building in Kyiv, said she was trying to sleep when she heard sirens followed by loud boom sounds.
"I looked at my phone, it was 1.30am (22.30 GMT) and sirens (blared), I was lying dressed in my bed, I got up immediately. And at once explosions started - boom, boom," she said.
"Our ceilings have started to crumble. My window here is smashed, and everything has fallen inside," she added.
Footage showed police and rescuers working on the site. Two rescuers put a body in a black sack in a car. Firefighters were extinguishing fires and charred cars stood near an apartment building.
Zelensky asks Elon Musk to allow Starlink-assisted strikes on Russia
08:20 , Shweta SharmaUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday urged Donald Trump and other US officials to help secure permission from Elon Musk to use Starlink satellite internet services to guide strikes inside Russia.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Zelensky made the request directly to Trump during their Oval Office meeting this week.
He also raised the issue with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, seeking Starlink's support.
Trump did not commit to the request.
While Musk allows Starlink to operate across Ukraine, including Russian-occupied territories, access remains restricted inside Russia.
Zelensky says Patriot interceptors remain top priority in call with Vance
08:00 , Shweta SharmaUkraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a "good" phone call with US vice president JD Vance, with air defence remaining a top priority as Russia's attacks continue.
Zelensky said the two discussed the urgent need for Patriot interceptors to defend against ballistic missiles, followed up on his recent meeting with president Donald Trump in Washington.
“As Russia's air attacks on our country continue unabated, air defence – specifically Patriot interceptors against ballistic missiles – remains a top priority,” he said.
“The Vice President and I also spoke about the consequences of Russia's war for global markets.”
He said both sides agreed to keep their teams in close contact and thanked the US for its continued support.
