A series of overnight drone attacks on two commercial cargo ships in the Sea of Azov has left five Azerbaijani crew members dead. The targeted vessels, “Natra” and “Zirkon,” were traveling from Türkiye to Russia to collect grain when they were hit roughly an hour apart. The strikes ignited heavy fires on both ships, forcing the surviving crew of the severely damaged “Zirkon” to abandon ship in lifeboats. Passing vessels successfully rescued the remaining sailors and transported them to Russia’s Port of Yeysk. Authorities have dispatched emergency tugboats to recover the crippled ships as investigations into the incident begin.