The ship, under a Dominican Republic flag, was berthed in the port when it was hit by shells during an ongoing attack on the besieged southern Ukrainian city, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday on its Telegram channel.
Read here "Difficult" situation in Luhansk region as Russian shelling continues
A fire broke out in the engine room before spreading and at least one crew member is known to have been injured, the statement said.
Maritime border guards were able to evacuate some crew to safety but say it is it impossible to continue the rescue operation due to "constant shelling."
According to the ministry, the captain sent a distress signal using the international maritime safety channel when it came under fire.
"Warning! Warning! The ship under the flag of the Dominican Republic was brutally destroyed, everything was destroyed, the captain’s bridge was destroyed. Fire in engine room. There are wounded on board,” the captain reportedly said.