Merchant Vessel Attacked by Russian Missile Near Odesa Port in Black Sea: One Killed
On Wednesday, a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel was attacked by a Russian missile as it entered the Black Sea port near Odesa, Bloomberg reports.
"Continuing the terror of civilian shipping, the enemy insidiously fired an X-31P anti-radar missile in the direction of one of the ports of Odesa region from tactical aircraft in the Black Sea," the Southern Ukrainian Defence Forces said.
"The missile hit the superstructure of a civilian vessel flying the Liberian flag as it entered the port. Three crew members, citizens of the Philippines, were wounded, one of them was hospitalised. The pilot was killed, and another port worker was injured. Russia has once again confirmed its status as an international terrorist state," the statement said.
According to the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov, the civilian vessel was supposed to deliver iron ore to China. The incident was the 21st "deliberate Russian attack" on port infrastructure since Russia suspended the mirror grain deal with the UN and Turkey.
At the time, Russia said that any vessel travelling to Ukrainian ports would be considered a military target.
Afterwards, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was ready to continue grain supplies despite Russia's disruption of the grain deal.
"Even without Russia, we must do everything possible to use this Black Sea corridor. We are not afraid. We have been approached by companies that own ships. They said they are ready to continue supplying grain if Ukraine releases and Turkey allows passage," the Ukrainian president stated.
He recalled that no agreements had been signed between Ukraine and Russia, and that with Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, they "violated their obligations to UN Secretary-General Guterres and President Erdogan."
Over the summer, Ukraine opened a unilateral humanitarian sea corridor out of the region to allow merchant ships to export goods such as grain and metals from its deepwater ports in Greater Odesa.
The first food ship sailed to the Black Sea from Odesa despite Russia's threats on 17 August.
Ukraine's Black Sea Grain Initiative plays a crucial role in maintaining global food security in the world.