Recent drone strikes on multiple commercial vessels in the Black Sea, including the sinking of the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan and damage to the Palau-flagged Able off Bulgaria on October 6, have intensified focus on Russian naval and aerial operations against shipping. Ukraine attributes these and a prior strike on the Royad Mammadov near Romania to Moscow’s forces, citing joint investigations, while Russia reports Ukrainian drone hits on its tanker Aframax Rio near Sochi the same day. Both sides have escalated attacks on grain and energy carriers to disrupt exports amid the ongoing conflict. Attribution remains disputed in some cases, with Bulgarian authorities investigating origins and no formal Russian confirmation. Ongoing maritime risks and potential further strikes on civilian traffic in the region continue to shape assessments of near-term developments.