On July 25, Ukraine launched a drone strike on an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea. As a result, an explosion occurred on the ship, one sailor died, and another was injured.
The Ukrainian side stated that the unmanned aerial vehicles hit a cargo ship in the Caspian Sea that is under international sanctions and used for transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia.
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described this as a "hostile and criminal act." The ministry noted that this attack is a violation of international law and a dangerous attempt to dangerously expand the geography of war and instability.
According to some reports, the ship struck by Ukraine was carrying weapons from Russia to Iran.
So far, no information has been released about which sector of the Caspian Sea the ship was hit in.
As is known, besides Russia and Iran, there are three other countries located on the coast of the Caspian Sea and encompassing its borders. Does the incident threaten the security of one of these countries, Azerbaijan, as well as other countries (Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan)?
Regarding the matter, Medianews.az received a statement from political analyst Ogtay Qasimov, who said that since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, there was concern that the Caspian region would also become a geography of tension: “Unfortunately, these predictions have proven true. From the very first stages of the war, Russia began targeting Ukrainian territories using the fleet it deployed in the Caspian Sea. Ukraine, especially in the last year, has continued targeting these directions.
As for the recent incident, it further complicates the already tense relations between Iran and Ukraine. Keep in mind that particularly in the last few months, Ukraine has been conducting extensive operations in Russian territories, especially deep inside, hitting the Russian military’s supply and logistics centers, disrupting logistics lines, targeting the fuel and energy sectors, and simultaneously striking military and industrial facilities of strategic importance.
Ukraine-Iran relations have been quite tense for a long time due to the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Tehran, followed by Iran’s military support to Moscow from autumn 2022, primarily supplying Russia with "Shahed" drones.”
O. Qasimov noted that with its recent operations, Ukraine is trying to cut off the Russian army’s supply and logistics lines: “The Iranian ship that was hit is considered an object with that purpose. The Ukrainian side has stated its position that such ships are legitimate targets for Ukraine.
The Iranian statement indicates that tensions will continue to rise and the geography will expand. Undoubtedly, an increase in tensions in the Caspian basin region is not in the interests of either Azerbaijan or other Turkic states located in the region such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. A rise in tensions in the region poses certain risks to security. Azerbaijan has managed to avoid these tensions over the last five years. I think similar steps will be taken going forward, and Azerbaijan will be able to remain as far as possible from the wars happening to its north and south.”
Nailə Qasimova,
Medianews.az