Escalating maritime strikes tied to the Russia-Ukraine conflict have driven repeated drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, including three ships hit near Romania’s Sulina canal on November 14, 2026, inside territorial waters, with no reported casualties. Romanian officials linked the incidents directly to Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian grain exports and port infrastructure, following a surge of similar attacks in October and early November that killed or left missing more than 30 seafarers and prompted insurers to raise rates sharply. Traffic through the region has declined as vessels reroute or avoid western Black Sea lanes. Romania has requested NATO reinforcements and counter-drone support ahead of defense minister meetings in Brussels this week, where expanded patrols and equipment could influence future incident frequency and market resolution on additional strikes.