UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said Russia targeted a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles last month.

Speaking to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Sunak said: “I can tell the House today that thanks to declassified intelligence, we know the Russian military targeted a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles on 24 August.”

A statement released by the UK Foreign Office said the attacks were “thwarted by Ukrainian forces who shot down multiple missiles heading towards Odesa port.”

“The missiles, which included two Kalibr missiles fired from a Black Sea Fleet missile carrier, were successfully shot down by Ukraine’s forces on 24 August,” the statement said.

“Intelligence shows that an intended target was a Liberian-flagged cargo ship berthed in the port,” the statement added.