Azerbaijan confirmed six of its citizens were killed when Ukrainian drones struck cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov on June 5, after two more bodies were recovered during search-and-rescue operations on June 9.
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the newly recovered victims as Gismat Aliyev, born in 1969, and Fuad Orujov, born in 1981. Nineteen surviving crew members were repatriated on June 9, while the remains of four recovered victims are expected to follow.
The two vessels carrying Azerbaijani crew were the Natra, a 3,332-deadweight-ton (dwt) cargo ship built in 1989, and the Circon, a 4,900 dwt vessel sailing under the flag of Palau. Both were heading to Rostov-on-Don to load grain when struck in Taganrog Bay overnight. The Natra lost propulsion after being hit by four drones and was towed to shore. The Circon’s crew abandoned ship as fire spread.
The aftermath of the attack on the Palau-flagged bulk carrier CIRCON…
The vessel sustained serious damage as a result of a major fire that broke out after an attack by a ZSU drone near Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov… According to available reports, three Azerbaijani… pic.twitter.com/HiP2rXdivL
— big ben (@alternative_war) June 9, 2026
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) said the operation targeted five vessels operating with hull names obscured and radar transponders off. USF commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi said the ships were moving looted grain, fuel, and military supplies from occupied Ukrainian territory, calling them “legitimate targets.”
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said neither ship was state-owned and that Azerbaijani citizens worked aboard voluntarily. The ministry issued an advisory on June 9 urging citizens to avoid participation in military activities in conflict zones.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin attributed the strikes to Ukraine, saying Moscow “knows very well who is using drones, both aerial and naval, to attack peaceful civilian vessels.”
The Natra had operated under multiple flags of convenience over 15 years, and the Circon was managed by Russian interests until 2012 before being reflagged to Palau.
The involvement of Azerbaijani nationals in Russia’s shadow fleet operations contrasts with President Ilham Aliyev’s August 2025 statement that Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty remains “unequivocal.”
