KYIV (Reuters) – A Russian drone attack overnight damaged some infrastructure in Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa, which is key for its grain exports, the Ukrainian military said on Monday.
“A fire broke out in the port infrastructure of Odesa as a result of the hit. It was quickly extinguished. Information on the extent of the damage is being updated,” the military’s southern command said on Facebook.
The military did not specify whether the damage at the port threatened grain exports. It is only through ports in the Odessa region that Ukraine can export grain and other food items as part of an initiative on grain.
The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea grain deal for an initial 120 days in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis that has been aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s leading grain exporters.
The deal, which was extended this month, is intended to guarantee the safe wartime export of grains and foodstuffs from three Ukrainian ports – Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.
The Ukrainian military said Russian forces had used Iranian-made Shahed drones in the attack but gave no details.
Russia launched a wave of air attacks on various places including the capital, Kyiv, in the early hours of Monday with drones and cruise missiles.
The capital’s military administration said defence forces had shot down more than 40 targets.
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Robert Birsel)
