Local officials said on Wednesday that Russia resumed its drone attack on grain infrastructure in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region — on storage facilities and ports along the Danube River, which Kyiv has begun to use for grain transport to Europe since Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal.
At the same time, a loaded container ship, which had been stranded at Odesa since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, set sail, travelling via the Black Sea to the Bosporus Strait along a temporary corridor set up by Ukraine for merchant ships.
Russian Attack on Ukraine’s Grain Facilities
According to Ukraine’s air force, a large group of Russian army drones reached the Danube River mouth overnight, and went towards the Izmail river port on the border with Romania.
The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that it shot down 13 Russian-launched drones over the southern regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv.
Russian air strikes on southern Ukraine overnight destroyed grain silos and warehouses at one of the Danube River ports, a crucial facility for grain supplies, as stated by the governor of the Odesa region.
Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper declared on Telegram, “Russian terrorists attacked Odesa region twice last night with attack drones.”
“The main target is port and grain infrastructure in the south of the region,” he added. The governor also shared photos of the damaged metal walls of the storage facility and piles of scattered grain and sunflowers.
Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, claimed on Telegram that the strike targeted the Reni port. He stated that there were no casualties.
Russian drones have targeted grain silos and port terminals along the Danube River, which Ukraine has increasingly used as an alternative transport route to Europe after Moscow broke off a key Black Sea shipping agreement. This latest attack follows weekshttps://t.co/7UplN5xMde
— MSN India (@msnindia) August 16, 2023
Ukraine Uses New Corridor
Ukraine claims a container ship departed from the Black Sea port of Odesa, using a new temporary corridor for trade ships to and from its ports, which Russia blockades.
As per the sources, the departure of the Hong Kong-flagged Joseph Schulte from Odesa, which had been stuck at the harbour since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, followed the latest Russian attack on the country’s grain export infrastructure.
The Deputy PM for Restoration of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov, stated on Facebook, “A first vessel used the temporary corridor for merchant ships to/from the ports of Big Odesa.”
The ship is reportedly jointly owned by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) and a Chinese bank, and BSM has confirmed that it was heading to Istanbul.
Kubrakov stated that the ship was carrying more than 30,000 metric tonnes of goods in 2,114 containers, and that the corridor would primarily be used to evacuate ships from the Black Sea ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi.
Despite Russian threats, Ukraine declared last week the opening of a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea to free cargo ships stranded in Ukrainian ports due to a de facto Russian blockade, while clarifying that the corridor would have no military purpose.
🇷🇺Russian Kamikaze Drones Attack Ukrainian Port on Danube River.
— Intel Drop (@IntelDrop_) August 16, 2023
Video has emerged showing a Russian Shahed-136 drone attack on Ukraine’s Reni Port on the Danube River last night. The video, recorded from Romania, shows several explosions and flashes of tracers as Iranian-made… pic.twitter.com/fuy4WrR2rB
Black Sea Grain Deal and Russia’s Withdrawal
In July, Russia announced its withdrawal from a crucial agreement that enabled the sale of Ukrainian grain, escalating concerns about global food supplies.
The UN and Turkey had negotiated the Black Sea Grain Initiative last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blockade of Black Sea ports. Last year, Ukraine exported more than 33 million tonnes of grain and other items under the deal.
Previous Russian Attacks on Ukrainian Ports
Russia has been shelling Ukrainian ports with strikes since terminating the grain deal, intensifying the blow to the key industry.
Russia reportedly launched cruise missiles at the port of Odesa overnight, just hours after withdrawing from the deal. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, air defences had intercepted 31 of 36 suicide drones and all six cruise missiles fired by Russia at Odesa and other regions in Ukraine’s south, including Mykolaiv.
In July, dozens of drone and missile attacks targeted the port of Odesa and the region’s river ports, which have been used as additional routes.
Earlier this month, Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian port of Izmail near the Romanian border, causing substantial damage and a large fire at facilities essential for Ukrainian grain shipments.
Kubrakov said nearly 40,000 tonnes of grain headed for Africa, China, and Israel had been damaged.
Zelensky’s Response
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s drone strike on Odesa overnight on Wednesday marks the seventh time Russia has targeted Ukrainian ports since Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea Grain deal.
Zelensky asserted that every Russian strike on “the ports of Reni, Izmail, Pivdennyi, Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Mykolaiv is a blow to global food prices and social and political stability in Africa and Asia.”