The Russian roll-on/roll-off cargo ship Lady Mariia (IMO: 9220641), which is under U.S. and Ukrainian sanctions, was attacked by drones in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the head of Ukraine’s Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies, Andrii Klymenko, who reported that the vessel had been heading toward Syria.
Klymenko published footage of the attack, while a longer video was posted on the Telegram channel of Russian opposition commentator Alexander Nevzorov. The footage shows drones dropping munitions onto the vessel, with a fire breaking out after one explosion. Nevzorov claimed the Lady Mariia was hit 12 times and suggested that the drones had been launched by Ukrainian forces from the territory of Libya. He added that the ship was carrying Iranian weapons and armored vehicles intended for Russia.
Klymenko also hinted that the drones had been launched from Libyan territory, writing: “And it wasn’t us. Those were some nice, unknown drones from Libyan territory. What do we have to do with it?”
Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the attack. The number of hits, the origin of the drones, and the nature of the cargo on board have not been independently confirmed. The Ukrainian outlet UNITED24 Media also noted that claims about Iranian weapons and a Libyan launch point were based on Nevzorov’s reporting and had not been independently verified.
According to the vessel tracking platform Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the Lady Mariia left St. Petersburg in early August. The vessel passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on Aug. 29 and then called at the Algerian port of Oran. It later headed east across the Mediterranean. On the evening of Sept. 5, the Lady Mariia stopped transmitting its AIS (Automatic Identification System) signal.
Starboard Maritime Intelligence data also shows that since the spring of 2020, the Lady Mariia has made three calls at the Syrian port of Tartus and three at the Iranian ports of Bandar Abbas and Khorramshahr. The platform also recorded two calls at the Libyan port of Al-Buraika.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) lists the Lady Mariia among the vessels that have been used to transport military cargo and weapons for Russia.
The ship is owned by the Russian company MG-Flot LLC, formerly known as Transmorflot. In May 2022, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Transmorflot and vessels linked to it. The Lady Mariia, which was previously named Stella-Maria, was also placed under U.S. restrictions. Ukraine imposed sanctions on the Lady Mariia on May 23, 2026.
According to HUR, MG-Flot is linked to Astrakhan businessman Dzhamaldin Pashayev, who built his business around the Port of Olya in Russia’s southern Astrakhan Region. The port is seen as one of Russia’s key logistics hubs for the International North-South Transport Corridor, which connects Russia with Iran.
