In a recent incident in the Odesa region of Ukraine, Russian drones targeted critical infrastructure at a Danube River port, significantly damaging Ukraine’s grain export capabilities.
The attack, which occurred on a Sunday, resulted in injuries to at least two individuals, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities.
The Danube River had assumed paramount importance for Ukraine’s grain exports, particularly since July when Russia withdrew from a United Nations and Turkey-brokered agreement that had previously ensured the safe passage of Kyiv’s exports, including grains, oilseeds, and vegetable oils, via the Black Sea.
Remarkably, this attack transpired just a day prior to scheduled talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, a Russian Black Sea resort. Turkey had been advocating for the revival of the grain deal.
The South Military Command of Ukraine promptly disseminated information about the incident on social media, highlighting that the attack targeted the “civil infrastructure of the Danube” and caused injuries to two civilians.
Notably, the Ukrainian Air Force successfully intercepted and downed 22 out of the 25 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia. However, the specifics of which port facility was hit remained undisclosed, although some Ukrainian media outlets reported explosions at the Reni port.
Alongside Izmail, Reni is one of Ukraine’s major ports along the Danube. Fortunately, the military said that any ensuing fire was swiftly extinguished.
The Russian Defense Ministry, as cited by Interfax, claimed that the group of Russian drones had effectively targeted fuel depots at the Reni port, which were utilized by the Ukrainian military. It’s important to note that Reuters could not independently verify these reports.
In recent weeks, Reni and Izmail have witnessed repeated drone attacks from Russian forces. Ukrainian officials have expressed concerns that these attacks on port infrastructure are aimed at provoking a food crisis and famine on a global scale.
Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to the Ukrainian president, voiced these apprehensions on Telegram, suggesting that “Russian terrorists continue to attack port infrastructure in the hope of provoking a food crisis and famine in the world.”
He accompanied his statement with a photograph depicting a firefighter directing water at the smoldering remnants of concrete structures.
The Black Sea grain deal, which was initially reached in July 2022, was devised to mitigate the effects of a burgeoning global food crisis.
Ukraine stands as a significant producer of grains and oilseeds, and disruptions to its exports following the outbreak of the war in February of the preceding year had sent global food prices soaring to record highs.
Russia, on the other hand, had lodged complaints regarding obstacles impeding its own food and fertilizer exports under the agreement. Moreover, Russia contended that insufficient amounts of Ukrainian grain were being channeled to countries in dire need.
