Overview

• Ukraine’s foreign ministry condemned the Heng Yang 9’s entry into Sevastopol and sent an official note to China while notifying the International Maritime Organization.
• Financial Times reporting, corroborated by Ukrainian officials, identified at least three calls in recent months, including a verified visit in September.
• Investigators used satellite imagery, Sentinel-1 radar, AIS records and photographs to confirm the September call and flagged inconsistencies indicating falsified positions.
• Kyiv warned that vessels calling at occupied ports risk addition to sanctions lists under measures that bar foreign commercial use of Sevastopol since 2014.
• China’s foreign ministry told Ukrainian counterparts it would review cases and advised Chinese citizens and companies to avoid contacts with occupied Ukrainian territory.