For first time in history, Russian bulk carrier is destroyed by explosions in Mediterranean Sea
For the first time in history, one of the largest Russian bulk carriers of the Russian Ministry of Defence, which was under sanctions, was destroyed in the Mediterranean Sea by three explosions. Unknown militias began destroying the Russian fleet in the world’s oceans.
An unprecedented event. The Russian Navy has suffered a heavy loss in the Mediterranean Sea. Today, the Russian Ministry of Defence's "Oboronlogistika" company announced the details of the destruction of one of its largest and most modern bulk carrier vessels, the 12,700-tonne Po-Po Ursa Major, built in Germany in 2009. Since 2022, the vessel has been under US sanctions for its participation in the aggression against Ukraine. The entire crew is Russian citizens.
According to "Oboronlogistika", the Ursa Major was carrying two mobile gantry cranes with a total weight of 686 tonnes, made by Liebherr 420 in Germany. Russia doesn't make such cranes, and it can't buy them again in Europe because of sanctions, so they had to be shipped to the Far East from Europe.
On 23 December, off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea, at 13.50, three explosions occurred from the starboard side near the stern of the vessel.
While inspecting the site of the explosions, the Russians noticed one of the craters, measuring 50 by 50 centimetres, which was approximately 15-30 centimetres above the water line. The edges of the crater were bent inwards, meaning that the explosions had occurred from outside the vessel.
The sinkhole seemed like a minor threat to such a large vessel, but there were three hits, and they were precisely targeted - the explosions completely disabled the ship's power systems, so the Russian sailors were unable to start backup power, pump out water and organise a fight for survival. At 15.10, the Russian sailors abandoned the vessel, leaving two of their comrades on board, who could not be found. At 23.22, the Ursa Major sank 70 miles south of Spanish Cartagena.
"Oboronlogistika" claimed a "terrorist attack" on the vessel.
The Russians have no evidence to establish how and who destroyed such a large vessel, which belonged to the Russian Ministry of Defence.
No organisation has taken responsibility for what happened.
But from now on, no Russian vessel or cargo on Russian vessels will feel safe anywhere in the world's oceans.
These are the most effective sanctions against Russian maritime trade that have been applied since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
