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Cargo ship in the Bosphorus (symbol image)
Photo: Sha Dati / imago images / Xinhua
An Estonian cargo ship has sunk off the coast of Ukraine.
This is reported by the Reuters news agency, citing the shipowner and the UK-based insurance company EOS Risk Group.
Accordingly, the ship named "Helt" went under after a heavy explosion.
EOS Risk Group claims on Twitter that the ship was used by the Russian Navy as a shield to advance towards Odessa from the sea.
According to the owner Igor Ilves, four crew members are missing, two more were able to save themselves on a rubber dinghy.
The ship route service marinetraffic.com indicates the last position of the "Helt" a good 25 kilometers south-east of the port city of Odessa.
The Helt belongs to the charter company Vista Shipping Agency based in Tallinn, Estonia.
The reasons for the explosion are still unclear.
According to owner Ilves, the cargo ship could have struck a mine.
Seven days ago, Russia launched an illegal war of aggression in Ukraine.
Since then, Russian troops have been trying to advance into the country in a pincer movement, and major Ukrainian cities have been subjected to heavy shelling.
Russian troops are also trying to land by sea - but Odessa in the south-west has not played a decisive role in the war so far.
However, the Ukrainian general staff warned of a possible Russian landing operation near the city of millions.
According to Ukrainian information, four landing ships are moving towards the coast.
mrc/dpa/Reuters