Russia said it carried out strikes on the Ukrainian port cities of Odesa and Chornomorsk on 22 July, targeting port infrastructure and vessels it claimed were supporting Ukraine’s military operations.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the attacks hit a dry-cargo ship unloading at Chornomorsk, along with military cargo facilities and fuel storage sites. It also reported strikes on loading and storage facilities in Odesa, as well as cargo vessels allegedly transporting supplies for the Ukrainian military.
Russian drones were also said to have struck warehouses storing Ukrainian drones, Reuters reports.
The ministry later stated that Russian forces had targeted four cargo ships and a bulk carrier in the Black Sea and at Chornomorsk port, claiming the vessels were carrying military-related cargo.
The attacks have increased concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said shipowners had temporarily suspended vessel arrivals for agricultural exports following a rise in Russian strikes on ports and merchant vessels. Traders and analysts estimate that Ukraine has lost around one-third of its Black Sea grain export capacity due to missile and drone attacks.
Alternative export routes and infrastructure remain underused, according to Ukrainian officials. Since 2023, Ukraine has relied heavily on its Black Sea maritime corridor for grain shipments after Russia withdrew from a UN-backed agreement that had provided safe passage for agricultural exports.
Furthermore, the recent attacks on Ukrainian ports and international vessels have further heightened war-risk concerns. Shipping brokers report that some shipowners are avoiding Ukrainian ports, while traders have paused purchases amid growing security risks.
Ukraine requests emergency Un Security Council meeting
Ukraine’s acting foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said at least three civilian cargo ships had been attacked by Russia in recent days. He said Ukraine had requested an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting economic and humanitarian infrastructure.
Russia maintains that its strikes are directed at military-linked port facilities and vessels. Ukraine, meanwhile, has expanded attacks on ships in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea as part of efforts to restrict Russian access to occupied Crimea and disrupt key revenue streams.
As the war continues, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified operations across the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, with dozens of commercial and military-linked vessels, including tankers and cargo ships, caught in the escalating conflict.
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