The Sinking of the Russian Ship Ursa Major

May 13, 2026, 19:30
AfricaInternational

Introduction

A Russian ship called the Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea on December 23, 2024. Explosions caused the ship to sink.

Main Body

The ship said it carried cranes. But the captain said this was a lie. The ship actually carried parts for nuclear submarines. Russia wanted to give these parts to North Korea. Spanish experts looked at the ship. They found a hole in the side. A special torpedo made the hole. This means someone attacked the ship on purpose. Russia said terrorists attacked the ship. Ukraine said the ship was helping soldiers in Syria. Spain says these stories are not true. The ship was really going to North Korea.

Conclusion

The ship is now deep in the ocean. Many countries are angry because of the nuclear parts.

Learning

🚒 The 'Secret' of Verbs

Look at how the story tells us what happened. It uses Past Simple words. These are the building blocks for A2 English because they tell a story.

The Pattern: Action β†’\rightarrow Result

  • Sank β†’\rightarrow The ship is now under water.
  • Said β†’\rightarrow The captain spoke.
  • Found β†’\rightarrow Experts saw the hole.

πŸ’‘ 'Actually' vs 'Really'

In this text, we see two words used to show a truth after a lie.

  1. "The ship actually carried parts..."
  2. "The ship was really going to North Korea."

Easy Rule: Use these words when you want to correct someone.

  • Example: "He says he is a doctor, but he is actually a student."

⚠️ Word Alert: 'On Purpose'

The text says: "Someone attacked the ship on purpose."

β†’β†’ Meaning: Not an accident. You wanted to do it. β†’β†’ Opposite: By mistake.

Vocabulary Learning

ship (n.)
a large vessel that travels on water
Example:The ship sailed across the ocean.
sank (v.)
to go down in water
Example:The ship sank after the explosion.
explosion (n.)
a sudden burst of energy and noise
Example:The explosion caused the ship to sink.
captain (n.)
the person in charge of a ship
Example:The captain said the story was a lie.
lie (v.)
to say something that is not true
Example:He lied about the ship's cargo.
parts (n.)
small pieces that make up a whole
Example:The ship carried parts for submarines.
submarine (n.)
a vehicle that moves underwater
Example:They used the parts to build a submarine.
torpedo (n.)
an underwater missile that can damage ships
Example:A torpedo made a hole in the ship.
attacked (v.)
to harm or strike someone or something
Example:The ship was attacked by a torpedo.
purpose (n.)
the reason for doing something
Example:The purpose of the attack was to damage the ship.
terrorist (n.)
a person who uses violence to create fear
Example:The government said terrorists attacked the ship.
soldier (n.)
a person who serves in the army
Example:Soldiers were fighting in Syria.
country (n.)
a nation or land with its own government
Example:Many countries were angry about the incident.
angry (adj.)
feeling upset or mad
Example:The countries were angry after the attack.
deep (adj.)
far below the surface
Example:The ship sank deep into the ocean.
ocean (n.)
a large body of salt water
Example:The ship is now deep in the ocean.