Russia attacks Ukraine’s Odessa port after terminating grain deal
Kyiv, July 18 (EFE).- Russia attacked Odessa with cruise missiles causing damage to the port infrastructure of the city, one of the three Ukrainian ports included in the grain deal that Moscow recently terminated, the city’s military spokesperson said Tuesday.
“At night, Odessa was attacked by six Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea,” Odesa’s military spokesperson, Sergei Bratchuk, said on Telegram.
The official said that all the missiles were shot down by Ukrainian air defense systems.
“Port infrastructure facilities and several private homes were damaged by fragments of downed missiles and the blast wave from the impact,” he added.
An elderly man was also injured at home and taken to the hospital, according to Bratchuk.
The latest missile attack on the port took place hours after the Kremlin announced the suspension of Ukraine’s Black Sea grain export deal.
The accord was signed by Russia and Ukraine in July last year with the mediation of Turkey and the UN to allow the export of grains from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, blocked by Russia, after war between the two nations broke out in February 2022.
According to the UN, the accord has allowed Ukraine to export more than 30.2 million tons of grain so far.
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest producers of grains, particularly wheat, corn and barley.
Ukraine has asked Turkey and the UN to continue guaranteeing the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea without Russia’s participation if need be. EFE
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