Full Breakdown
Drone Attack on Tugboat TEDY Claims Two Azerbaijani Sailors’ Lives
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Fatal Drone Strike Near Odesa
On September 9, 2026, the Somali-flagged tug-and-supply vessel TEDY was hit by an unidentified drone while operating near the Ukrainian port of Odesa. The strike killed Azerbaijani seafarers Aslan Aliyev and Asim Gasimov and caused severe burns to compatriots Imran Novruzov and Rauf Aliyev. The vessel, carrying a crew of ten—including four Azerbaijanis, three Turks, two Germans and one Ukrainian—was later attacked twice more during the night of September 10, 2026 as it proceeded toward the Romanian port of Constanta. Six other crew members received on-scene medical assistance, while the two injured Azerbaijanis were hospitalized in the Black Sea city of Chornomorsk.
Background & Context
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the Black Sea corridor has been a focal point of maritime conflict. The 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, which temporarily safeguarded Ukrainian grain exports under UN and Turkish oversight, was abandoned by Russia in July 2023. Since then, Russian forces have repeatedly targeted civilian vessels and port infrastructure, intensifying attacks on foreign-flagged ships from July 2024 onward. The TEDY incident follows earlier strikes that killed five Azerbaijani citizens in the Sea of Azov in June 2026 and a series of drone attacks on cargo ships throughout the spring and summer of 2026.
Data & Statistics
- Crew composition: 4 Azerbaijanis, 3 Turks, 2 Germans, 1 Ukrainian.
- Casualties: 2 dead, 2 injured (burns), 6 treated on site.
- Vessel details: TEDY (IMO 9059200), a 30-meter tug-supply ship built in 1995, registered under the Somali flag and owned by Turkey’s Mert Marine Corporation.
- Attack timeline: Initial drone strike on September 9; two additional strikes during the night of September 10.
Official Statements & Responses
- Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the deaths of Aliyev and Gasimov, reported the injuries of Novruzov and Aliyev, and announced coordination with Ukrainian authorities and diplomatic missions to repatriate the deceased and provide consular assistance to the wounded.
- Ukraine’s Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport attributed the attack to Russian forces, describing it as part of a systematic campaign against civilian shipping and port infrastructure in the Odesa region.
- The ministry did not name the vessel.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to questions about the broader conflict, linking Ukrainian attacks on Russian “economic facilities” to the opening of “Pandora’s box.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Attribution of responsibility: Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry did not assign blame, while Ukraine’s transport ministry explicitly blamed Russia. Russia’s defence ministry claimed the strike was a legitimate attack on vessels carrying military cargo but did not confirm that TEDY was the specific tugboat hit. No independent verification of the drone’s origin or the exact cargo of TEDY has been provided.
- Details of the vessel’s location: Azerbaijan’s statement omitted precise coordinates, whereas Ukrainian sources placed the attack near Odesa. Russian statements identified only a “tugboat” without confirming its identity as TEDY.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It was only after the Ukrainians began striking our civilian infrastructure, our economic facilities, that they opened Pandora’s box. Those were President [Vladimir] Putin’s words,” — Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson.