Baghdad: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Friday that its forces targeted three cargo ships in the Black Sea that were "carrying military supplies for Ukrainian forces."

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the ministry stated in a press release that the Russian armed forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian naval vessels using drones on Thursday evening and Friday morning. This operation is part of a series of ongoing Russian strikes since mid-July targeting ships and storage facilities in ports linked to the Ukrainian armed forces.

In a related development, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems intercepted 203 Ukrainian drones over various parts of the country overnight.