Russia attacked Black Sea port, Ukraine says

Russia infrastructure attacked in UkraineTuesday in the Odessa region, damaging a civilian ship and facilities in the Black Sea ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said.

Kuleba said a Panama-flagged civilian ship loaded with grain was damaged and oil storage tanks were also hit. One person was injured, he said on the Telegram application.

“This is another targeted attack by Russia on civilian port infrastructure. The enemy is trying to disrupt logistics and complicate maritime transportation,” Kuleba said.

Despite the attacks, the two ports continued to operate, he said.

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Odessa and the neighboring region are home to Black Sea ports that are crucial to Ukraine’s foreign trade and the survival of its war economy.

Ukraine is a major global producer and exporter of agricultural products. During nearly four years of war, the role of Odessa and its two other ports – Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk – as major trading centers grew as other Ukrainian ports were destroyed, occupied or disrupted by Russian forces.

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In recent months, the maritime sector war between Ukraine and Russia intensified. Both sides attacked naval and commercial assets in the Black Sea and beyond.

Ukraine is increasingly using its maritime drones to attack ships linked to Russia’s Shadow Fleet.

At the same time, Russia has intensified its attacks on the city of Odessa and its port infrastructure.