After Passing Along Morocco and Stopping in Algeria, a Russian Cargo Ship Is Attacked by Drones

The Lady Mariia left Saint Petersburg at the beginning of August before heading down toward the Mediterranean. According to maritime tracking data cited by The Insider, the ship passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on August 29.

Its passage through the strait brought it into the immediate vicinity of northern Morocco, before it entered the Mediterranean and arrived at the Algerian port of Oran on August 31.

On Bladi.net : After three days in Algeria, a sanctioned Russian ship passes near Morocco

The Russian roll-on/roll-off ship then left Oran on September 1. AIS data from MarineRadar indicate a departure at 12:08 UTC, with the Suez Canal listed as its destination.

Attacked after leaving Algeria

Five days later, as it continued on its eastward course, the Lady Mariia was attacked by several drones between Crete and Libya. The Maritime Executive reports that the craft dropped several charges onto the ship’s deck, notably causing a fire.

The origin of the drones and the identity of those responsible for the attack have not been officially established. The nature of the cargo transported during this voyage has also not been confirmed.

The Lady Mariia’s past nevertheless explains the attention paid to its movements. The US Treasury lists this ship, identified by IMO number 9220641, on its list of Russia-related sanctions.

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Ukrainian military intelligence, for its part, classifies it among the vessels used for the “transport of military cargo.” Its official record states that it has notably been used to transport weapons from Syria to Russia.

The Lady Mariia thus followed a particularly closely monitored route over the course of a few days: passing off Morocco through the Strait of Gibraltar, stopping in Algeria, and then being attacked by drones in the heart of the Mediterranean.