Ukrainian drone attacks in the southern Rostov region resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two sailors on a cargo ship, as reported by regional authorities early Thursday.

According to Rostov region Governor Yury Slyusar, a drone hit a cargo vessel that was docked along the Don River in Rostov-on-Don, leading to the fatalities of two crew members and leaving three others injured.

Mayor Alexander Skryabin noted that this marked the first confirmed death in the city resulting from a drone assault since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In a separate incident involving drones, Governor Slyusar reported one person was killed and six others were injured in the town of Bataysk, located just south of Rostov-on-Don.

Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that its air defense systems intercepted three Ukrainian drones over the Rostov region during the night. Overall, the ministry claimed to have shot down 47 Ukrainian drones across three Russian regions, including annexed Crimea and the Black Sea area.

These drone strikes occur amid Ukraine’s persistent efforts to target Russian energy infrastructure, which includes attacks on vessels and ports, as well as major oil terminals in the southern part of the country.

In retaliation for these assaults, Russia has intensified its own strikes on Ukrainian urban centers, focusing on ports such as Odesa along the Black Sea.