Russian cargo ship allegedly carrying Shahed drone parts reportedly sinks after drone strike
A Russian cargo ship named “Port Olya 4” reportedly sank after an attack by 14 drones, according to claims that the vessel had delivered a cargo of components for Shahed kamikaze drones to the Russian Federation.
The Russian dry cargo ship “Port Olya 4” sustained severe damage, the Russian Telegram channel NEZYGAR said. Sources claim the Caspian Sea port was hit by dozens of drones and hint that Azerbaijan may have been involved.
Russian media said the ship belonged to Russian businessman Dzhamaldin Pashayev. According to those reports, 14 drones targeted the Caspian port in Russia’s Astrakhan region, allegedly flying from the direction of Azerbaijan. Russian air defenses shot down about ten drones, they said, but some struck targets. The channel added that “official structures are not commenting.”
Meanwhile, the OSINT Telegram channel Cyberboroshno posted what it said were before-and-after photos of the “Port Olya 4” dry cargo ship from August 15. Analysts pointed to two distinctive spots on the hulls and suggested the images likely show the same vessel, though it remains unclear whether the picture is genuine or edited.
A specialized Russian portal lists technical specifications and photos of the “Port Olya-4,” which may have been hit in the August 15 strike. The ship was built in 2014 by China’s Hengyu Shipyard. It measures 123 meters in length, 16.7 meters in width, and has a tonnage (useful weight including crew and other factors) of more than 5,000 tons.
Russia’s Port Olya on the Caspian Sea came under an overnight drone attack. News of the attack emerged on the morning of August 15. Citing its own sources, Russian media said a fixed-wing drone had been shot down over the region the day before. On the morning of August 15, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed a strike on the port and said the “Port Olya-4” dry cargo ship, which was transporting components for Shaheds from Iran, was damaged.