Russia Hits Ukrainian Ports Of Odesa & Chernomorsk, Citing Military Cargo Storage

Russia launched two ballistic missiles on Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa on May 23, killing at least two people and injuring several others, Ukrainian officials confirmed. The strikes targeted civilian areas within the port, causing widespread damage.

According to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper, the attack claimed the lives of two people, while eight others were injured. Four of the injured are reported to be in serious condition. The confirmed fatality was a port employee, while unverified reports later suggested the death toll might have risen to three.

Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, Oleksiy Kuleba, stated that the missiles struck the engine department and severely damaged administrative buildings, shattering windows and doors.

Vehicles and essential port equipment were also destroyed. Photographs from the scene showed containers ablaze and plumes of smoke rising above the area.

Kuleba added that the strike occurred during routine port operations and insisted there were no military sites at the location. He described the port as a peaceful, civilian facility essential for global food exports and criticised Russia for attacking what he called a “strategically important object that supports world food security.”

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the missile strikes, stating they used Iskander-type ballistic missiles. They claimed the attack was aimed at a container ship and a nearby warehouse they believed were storing around 100 containers filled with military cargo, including drone parts and artillery ammunition. The Russian report said secondary explosions at the site were evidence of such cargo.

Ukrainian officials denied any military use of the terminal and did not confirm damage to any ship. They said the target was purely civilian. However, vessel tracking services showed no container ships docked at Odesa port at the time, apart from a small, German-managed cargo vessel.

Chernomorsk, another Ukrainian port city, was also struck in this coordinated attack. Russia claimed it targeted military facilities in that area, but Ukraine has not confirmed any military activity there either.

Kuleba said these strikes are part of an ongoing campaign by Russia to damage Ukraine’s maritime trade. Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, he reported that nearly 400 pieces of port infrastructure and over 30 ships have been damaged or destroyed. A total of 106 civilian port employees have been injured during this time.

The strikes also follow reports that Ukrainian exports, including grain, metals, and raw materials, had recently returned to pre-war levels, with some container operations resuming through feeder vessels at Odesa port.

References: kyivindependent, ukrinform

Source: Maritime Shipping News