On May 18, a drone operated by Russia hit a cargo ship owned by China close to Odesa in the Black Sea, occurring mere hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin's official trip to Beijing. Ukrainian President Zelensky verified the attack, identifying the vessel as KSL DEYANG — a bulk carrier registered in the Marshall Islands and fully crewed by Chinese nationals. This event poses serious doubts regarding Russia's dependability as a strategic ally for China in the lead-up to the Putin-Xi meeting.
