January 29, 2026
An Iranian vessel, the Caspian Shiva, was sinking in the Caspian Sea while en route to the Russian port of Makhachkala after sustaining a hull breach of unknown origin, Russian Telegram channel MNS reported, citing sources on Jan. 29.
It is claimed that “the vessel ran aground and began taking on water, with water actively entering the engine room and the hold.”
Reports also say there are 10 crew members aboard the cargo ship. Preliminary information indicates that none of them were injured.
According to the channel, rescue operations cannot begin due to difficult weather conditions, with wave heights reaching up to 2 meters.
For its part, the Telegram channel Crimean Wind said the Caspian Sea is “the main route for maritime supplies of weapons and sanctioned goods from Iran to Russia.”
According to the VesselFinder website, the Caspian Shiva was built in 1986. In October 2025, the cargo ship called at the seaport in the Russian city of Astrakhan.
At the end of 2025, Ukraine stepped up strikes on Russian oil production facilities and vessels located in the Caspian Sea, more than 900 kilometers from the border. All of the strikes were carried out by long-range attack drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces.
In an infographic published on Jan. 7, 2026, NV recalled when and which targets were hit in the Caspian Sea area.
Nice!