A sanctioned Russian cargo vessel, the Ursa Major, has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion in its engine room off the coast of Spain. The incident occurred in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Fourteen of the sixteen crew members were rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena, while two remain missing.
Operated by Oboronlogistika, a company owned by Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ursa Major was en route from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok and according to the company, publicly stated as carrying cranes and two 45-ton hatch covers intended for icebreaker construction. With it’s identity as a Russian military entity somewhat masked under corporate veil, the company owns and operates a fleet of seven cargo vessels (now six) known for ferrying a plethora of items for the Russian military as well large equipment related to industrial projects.
Initially reported as en route to pick up Russian soldiers that are currently being chased out of Syria, the Ursa Major’s owners denied this, citing cargo. Given that we can take this as an official Russian government statement, it can be completely discarded as the obfuscation and lies we’ve come to expect from centuries of Russian nonsense.
One thing we do know, the probability of similar events occurring in the near future just improved.