Russians killed nine civilians in their attack on port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast (updated)
Russian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast on the evening of October 9, 2024, killing nine people and injuring eight others, according to Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Infrastructure Minister and Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Oblast Military Administration. A civilian vessel flying the Panamanian flag has been damaged.
“All the affected are Ukrainians. They are receiving medical assistance, with five in critical condition,” Kuleba reported.
He added that the attack damaged a civilian vessel flying the Panamanian flag, the container ship Shui Spirit. This attack marks the third foreign vessel Russia has targeted in the last four days.
Kiper reported that four civilians of the injured are in critical condition.
Later, Kiper reported that a 48-year-old man died in hospital due to that Russian attack on the morning of October 11.
On October 7, Russian army personnel attacked infrastructure in Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa with ballistic missiles, one of which hit a civilian Palau-flagged vessel. The attack killed a 60-year-old Ukrainian man and injured five foreign citizens. Four of them were in moderate condition, and one had minor injuries, according to Kiper.
Earlier, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine reported that on the night of October 5-6, Russians attacked a port in Odesa, damaging the Paresa, a civilian vessel registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis that carried about 6,000 tonnes of Ukrainian maize for export.
On September 12, Russians attacked a civilian cargo ship carrying wheat bound for Egypt in the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine is a vital global food security donor, and that the internal stability and survival of dozens of nations worldwide rely on the smooth operation of its export food corridor.
Russia has not commented publicly on its latest attacks. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was not asked about them in his daily briefing with journalists in Moscow – and volunteered no information.
“It feels like they are focusing on the port again, like last summer,” Diana, a resident, told the BBC News.
She lives close to the waterfront and heard the missile strikes this week. “I feel this anxiety, and I feel it increases day by day. I can’t say my general state is calm.”
Diana said Iranian-made Shahed drones were also now launched at Odesa “almost every night”, buzzing ominously overhead before they leave the area or are shot down by air defences.
Grain silos and other port infrastructure have been badly damaged too. Last week, the port of Izmail was targeted by drones near the Danube River, and a Romanian border crossing and grain facility were damaged.
Overall, this is the 22nd civilian vessel to be damaged by Russian attacks since the full-scale war began in 2022. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, has appealed to “responsible states” to ensure freedom of navigation and food security.
According to Oleksiy Kuleba, over the past three months, Russians has launched in total nearly 60 attacks on ports, civilian vessels, and grain storage facilities in Ukraine.
“Almost 300 port infrastructure objects, 177 vehicles, and 22 civilian vessels have been damaged or destroyed. 79 civilians have been injured, including port workers, logistics company employees, and ship crews,” Kuleba noted.
He added that Russian attacks affect more than 40 countries that receive Ukrainian grain, including Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Spain, Türkiye, and the Netherlands.
The Russian Federation uses temporarily occupied Crimea as a military foothold for its military aggression from the south of Ukraine, shelling Ukrainian cities from the peninsula. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated the importance of de-occupying the Crimean Peninsula.
