Russian Air Attack on Odessa Claims at Least Three Dead and Six Injured

Russian Account of the Attacks

The Russian military confirmed airstrikes on the port facilities of Odessa on the Black Sea. Two ships carrying cargoes for the Ukrainian army as well as fuel depots were hit, the Moscow Defense Ministry wrote on Telegram. In Chornomorsk, port facilities were damaged.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian ports since Ukraine began systematically using drones to target Russian shipping on the Sea of Azov and in the Kerch Strait. The Russian attacks also target foreign ships that venture toward Odessa.

Background to the Escalation

The previous day, ten people were killed on a merchant ship flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau. The incident underscores the expansion of attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian side provided no information regarding the Russian claims about military supply shipments and fuel depots being hit. Independent observers have so far been unable to verify the claims.

Ports Under Fire

The attack hit a civilian industrial facility and triggered a fire. In Chornomorsk, the port town near Odessa, port facilities were also damaged. According to authorities, rescue operations continued into the morning hours.

International organizations have repeatedly pointed to the dangers to the civilian population and Ukrainian grain exports posed by attacks on port infrastructure. Odessa is considered a central hub for the export of agricultural products via the Black Sea.