Ukraine’s port cities and grain infrastructure came under intense attacks overnight as Russia appears to be focusing on disabling the facilities after it withdrew from the Black Sea Grain initiative brokered a year ago by the United Nations and Turkey. Ukraine initially said it had been able to repel most of the attacks on the Odesa region on Monday night, but Russia responded by intensifying the attacks Tuesday night in what officials are describing as one of the fiercest attacks in the war.
Official Russian statements have been that the attacks were in retaliation for damaging its bridge in the occupied region of Crimea. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed sea-launched precision weapon attacks saying it was targeting Ukrainian military facilities in the Odesa region.
The first wave of attacks overnight on Monday consisted of six missiles all of which Ukraine claimed to have shot down. They also acknowledged 36 drone attacks saying that 31 were also shot down. Official reports from Ukraine said there was some unspecified damaged to port facilities mostly in Odesa but that Mykolaiv had also been targeted. Residents showed pictures of debris that had hit various buildings in Odesa.
Last night’s attack was far more intense and focused on the port area in Odesa and Chornomorsk, south west of Odesa. Both facilities played a major role in the grain exports of the past year.
Ukraine’s air force is acknowledging 63 missile and drone attacks contending that Russia used some of its fastest and highest-powered weapons, including anti-ship missiles on the city. Air defenses shot down on 37 strikes.
