On 24 April 2000, a Russian P-35 Progress anti-ship missile, launched from a coastal installation at Cape Khersones, struck the Ukrainian motor vessel Pavlo Vereshchahin. This incident served as an important warning, demonstrating that Russia was already testing Ukraine’s response to its military actions and probing whether Ukrainian vessels could be attacked in international waters with impunity.

The Russian missile exercises took place at Cape Khersones, where Russia deployed an escort group of 13 ships and vessels from the Black Sea Fleet to secure the firing area. Despite these security measures, the Ukrainian vessel sailing from Istanbul to Skadovsk entered the danger zone without raising any suspicion.

The missile, equipped with a dummy warhead, struck the vessel’s hull and passed through the bridge, causing extensive damage. The impact left a hole two meters in diameter at the entry point and four meters at the exit. A 37-year-old electromechanic, Vadym Ponomarenko, was injured in the incident.

The command of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet blamed the Ukrainian ship’s captain. However, experts pointed to the inadequate organization of the exercise security zone. The escort ships tasked with ensuring safety should have been positioned so that their radar coverage areas overlapped, allowing for timely detection of any vessel entering the danger zone.

The investigation revealed that the captain had not received any notification from the Ukrainian Navigation Information Center in Odesa, which calls into question the Russian side’s version of events. The Russian command’s refusal to consider Ukraine’s claims further underscores Russia’s aggressive policy and its early attempts to attack Ukraine.

This incident served as the first clear evidence that, as early as 2000, Russia was considering the use of force against Ukraine. It became one of the initial provocations indicating an escalation in relations and Russia’s intention to violate international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.