Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ship Sinks Off Coast of Spain

Ukrainian military intelligence claims that the ship was part of a mission evacuating Russian bases in Syria.

Russian cargo ship Ursa Major transits the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 11, 2023. Reuters/Yoruk Isik

A Russian cargo ship currently under U.S. embargo has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion, leaving two crew members missing.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported on its Telegram channel on Dec. 24 that the Ursa Major sank in international waters between Spain and Algeria following “an explosion in the engine room.”