Russian Missiles Hit Port of Odessa, Ukraine

In what is reported as a retaliatory strike, the grain terminal and port infrastructure in Odesa were targeted by Russian kamikaze drones and missile attacks on Sunday night. This attack appears to be in response to a Ukrainian missile strike that had previously demolished the headquarters of the Russian Black Fleet.

According to Ukrainian military reports, the assault involved 12 Kalibr cruise missiles, two Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles, and 19 Shahed drones, significantly damaging the Odesa grain terminal. It is estimated that the attack destroyed approximately 40,000 tons of grain. The military also asserts that they successfully intercepted all 19 drones and 11 Kalibr cruise missiles.

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko has expressed concerns about the potential impact on the grain delivery system, especially in the section from the warehouse to the wharf, due to the damage incurred. He further stated that reversing this damage in a short timeframe could prove challenging. This has impeded Odesa port’s ability to accommodate bulkers and handle food shipments.

Goncharenko also noted that the attack damaged several tugboats from falling debris, with estimated repair costs potentially reaching several hundred thousand dollars.

Additionally, there are suspicions that a small merchant bulker, the “COMET,” may have suffered damage during the attack. An adjacent hotel at the periphery of the Odesa seaport complex was also hit in the attack. While Russian forces claimed to have targeted a military base, Goncharenko countered by asserting that the hotel had been unused and in a state of disrepair for nearly a decade prior to the outbreak of the war.

Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian food infrastructure has been ongoing since Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered deal that would have facilitated safe grain shipments via the Black Sea. Ukraine has recently been exploring alternative routes to transport grain through the Black Sea, avoiding international waters and utilizing sea routes controlled by NATO members Bulgaria and Romania. Notably, the first two grain shipments via this new route successfully reached Turkey in recent weeks.