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Ukrainian media is questioning why Russia used one of its drones to target a Soviet-era sail training ship laid up in Odesa. It comes as Russia has unleashed a new barrage of attacks across Ukraine, including some of the largest strikes on Kyiv of the war.
An advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Serhil "Flash" Beskrestnov, posted a picture on social media showing an explosion in the port of Odesa on Monday, May 25, where the training ship Druzhba was docked. He questioned the motive while joking, "The entire strategic supply of rum has long since been taken away."
Built in Poland and launched in 1987, the Druzhba was one of a series of sail training ships ordered by the Soviets. It was built in Gdansk and assigned to the Soviet's Black Sea Shipping Company. In turn, it assigned the vessel to the Odesa Maritime Academy for the training of cadets.
With an overall length of 360 feet (109 meters) for its steel hull, the three-masted vessel had 2,771 square meters of sail area as well as Sulzer diesel engines. It was 2,284 gross tons with a capacity for 50 crew and approximately 140 cadets.
The vessel lived up to its name, which means "Friendship," in 1990 when it hosted possibly the first-ever joint training cruise with Soviet and American cadets. There were 41 from the United States, including from Kings Point, as well as 60 from the Soviet Union on a joint 60-plus-day cruise that included a stop in New York City. In addition to the trip across the Atlantic, the vessel made frequent cruises into the Mediterranean and Black Sea, as well as to Northern Europe, and two trips into the Indian Ocean.
Druzhba has been laid up for many years in Odesa - Boris Mavlyutov photo ( CC BY-SA 3.0)
By the 2000s, Druzhba was idled in Odesa in need of maintenance and repairs. Work was started on the ship in 2021 with the intent of recommissioning her for Ukraine's Naval Institute.
The media is speculating that the Russian drone operator might have been searching for a target in Odesa or went for the closest target. Ukrainian officials confirmed there was an explosion in the port area but declined to comment on the condition of the sailing ship.
Fuente: Maritime Executive
