Growing risks for seafarers amid the Russia-Ukraine war: A warning to Azerbaijani citizens
According to sea-news.az that the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with combat operations intensifying at sea. In recent times, Ukraine has disabled more than 100 Russian vessels of various types in the Sea of Azov. Furthermore, Ukraine is striking tankers belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea. A few days ago, the Security Service of Ukraine announced attacks on the tankers Louise 1 and Banda. Russia, in turn, continues to strike various types of merchant vessels bound for Ukrainian ports.
The rising number of Azerbaijani citizens killed on ships attacked by both Russia and Ukraine in recent months is a cause for grave concern.
On the morning of June 5, 2026, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack in the Taganrog Gulf of the Sea of Azov resulted in the deaths of five Azerbaijani citizens, with three others injured and hospitalized in the city of Yeysk. The dry cargo ships Natra (sailing under the Belize flag) and Zirkon (under the Palau flag) were en route from Türkiye to Rostov-on-Don to load grain. Both ships were targeted by four drones. Although Natra was damaged, it did not sink, and the crew managed to extinguish the fire. A fire broke out on the Zirkon, forcing the crew to abandon the ship using lifeboats, after which they were rescued by nearby vessels. A total of 25 Azerbaijani citizens were on board the two ships. Robert Brovdi (“Madyar”), commander of the Unmanned Systems Unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, confirmed these attacks in the Sea of Azov via his Telegram channel.
On the night of July 7–8, the M/V Feofan Shokhirev (IMO: 9094157), a cargo ship sailing under the Panamanian flag and managed by the Turkish company NOVA Shipmanagement, was also attacked in the Sea of Azov. Seven Azerbaijani citizens were working on board. Although the ship was damaged and lost maneuverability, no human casualties were recorded in this instance.
On July 14, Russia struck a merchant vessel sailing under the Tanzanian flag and owned by a Turkish company as it moved toward the port of Odesa in the Black Sea. The ship’s captain, Azerbaijani citizen Samad Nasrullayev, was initially reported missing, but his body was later recovered. The other 11 Azerbaijani crew members were safely evacuated to shore.
Azerbaijan has a significant number of professional seafarers working on various types of vessels in international waters. International certification is required to work in this field, and the Azerbaijan State Marine Academy in Baku has long been recognized as a prestigious institution for training professional mariners.
The professional competence of Azerbaijani seafarers attracts the attention of foreign crewing companies. Numerous advertisements are posted online by various crewing firms recruiting Azerbaijani citizens to work on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil tankers.
For instance, two days ago, the Maritime Zone portal published vacancies from the Latvian-based company Lapa LTD for work on an LNG tanker. According to the announcement, the salary ranges between 4,500 and 4,950 US dollars, with preference given to citizens of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, and Latvia.
In general, the recruitment of crew members working in international waters is primarily conducted via the internet. Currently, more than 228,000 vacancies are posted on the crewdata.com platform, with over 130,000 seafarers registered to monitor job postings.
The investigative outlet The Insider has determined that in recent years, companies registered in various countries have posted nearly 1,000 vacancies for tankers belonging to the “shadow fleet.”
According to experts, although crewing companies have largely remained outside the scope of sanctions so far, they are highly sensitive in terms of reputation. As these companies work with hundreds of seafarers, employees do not want to jeopardize their future careers.
The “shadow fleet,” which plays a crucial role in the sustainability of Russia’s oil exports, consists of approximately 1,800 vessels according to various estimates. Companies servicing this fleet are often registered in non-transparent jurisdictions, making it difficult to impose international sanctions against them. It is reported that, alongside professional seafarers, these ships sometimes carry intelligence personnel and members of the former “Wagner” private military company.
After analyzing more than 20,000 job postings, The Insider found that about 1,000 of them were related to recruiting crews for “shadow fleet” vessels with a deadweight of over 10,000 tons, which were later subjected to international sanctions.
Working on such ships creates serious dangers. On one hand, countries like the US, UK, and France may detain these tankers and hold crew members legally accountable for violating sanctions. On the other hand, these vessels can become targets for Ukrainian drones in the Black Sea and beyond.
Simultaneously, merchant vessels serving Russia’s interests and entering maritime territories occupied by Ukraine are regularly subjected to attacks, posing a real threat to the lives of the crew members working on them.
It should be noted that against the backdrop of increasing incidents involving Azerbaijani seafarers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan issued a special statement on July 16, 2026, calling on citizens to refrain from traveling to or working in regions where military operations are ongoing or that are unstable in terms of security. The ministry also urged citizens to avoid employment on transport vehicles, including maritime vessels, operating along these routes.
The ministry further advised citizens to strictly adhere to official warnings and to contact Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions and consulates when necessary.
