Ukraine on Thursday warned boats sailing in the Black Sea and heading for Russian-controlled ports that they could be targeted, as Moscow struck the Ukrainian ports of Mykolaiv and Odessa overnight Wednesday in another night of “hellish” strikes.
kyiv said it would treat these vessels as potential carriers of military equipment, as Russia previously did after it withdrew from the deal that allowed grain exports.
At least three people have died and more than 20 have been injured in Russian drone and missile strikes on ports in southern Ukraine, officials said, posting images of burning or partially collapsed buildings.
These Russian attacks were “strongly” condemned by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
“These attacks have an impact far beyond Ukraine. We are already seeing the negative effect on world wheat and corn prices, which is hurting everyone, especially vulnerable populations in southern countries,” said spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
kyiv accuses Moscow of specifically targeting its port infrastructure, in order to prevent any possible resumption of Ukrainian grain exports.
At least three people were killed and around 20 injured in the shelling in Odessa and Mykolaiv, local authorities said.
In Odessa, the body of a building caretaker was “found under the rubble” after a strike that destroyed “an administrative building” in the center and damaged several residential buildings, according to the governor of the region, Oleg Kiper.
In Mykolaiv, “at least five residential buildings were damaged,” said Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevich, his deputy Anatoly Petrov, adding that a body had been found.
“A night of hell for our people!” Reacted the head of the Ukrainian Emergency Situations Service, Serguiï Krouk, the Ukrainian Air Force indicating that Moscow launched a total of 38 missiles and drones on the two cities.
“Unfortunately, it was not possible to intercept all the missiles, especially the Kh-22 and Onyx supersonic missiles, which are very difficult to destroy,” Oleg Kiper said on Telegram.
These missiles, rarely fired by Moscow, had already been used during the Russian attack overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, which targeted grain terminals and port infrastructure in Odessa and Chornomorsk, destroying silos and, in particular, 60,000 tonnes of grain.
On Thursday, the Russian army again claimed to target only military targets, claiming to have destroyed production and storage sites for naval drones in Odessa and ammunition and fuel depots in Mykolaiv.
In Mykolaiv, rescue teams searched the debris in the pouring rain in the morning to find survivors, according to an AFP journalist on the spot.
Oleksiï Lougantchenko, 72, said he feared the death of his sister, still under the rubble and whose husband had already been found, killed. “Who needs this war? I told them they should go and now they’re dead.”
Denouncing the obstacles to trade in its own fertilizers and agricultural products, the Kremlin withdrew on Tuesday from the agreement signed in July 2022, under the aegis of the United Nations and Turkey, which allowed Kiev to export its cereals despite the war and the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports.
Vladimir Putin assured Wednesday that Russia was ready to return to the agreement if its demands were carried out “in their entirety”, accusing the West of “political blackmail”.
In response, kyiv has called for the establishment of naval “military patrols” under a UN mandate, with no response so far.
In the northwest of the annexed Crimean peninsula, “four administrative buildings were damaged” by Ukrainian attacks, local governor installed by Moscow, Sergei Aksionov, said on Telegram. “A teenage girl died” in this attack, he added.
The fire that broke out on Wednesday on military ground in eastern Crimea, requiring the evacuation of more than 2,000 people, was still ongoing.
kyiv has not claimed but regularly strikes garrisons or stocks of Russian equipment deep in the lines, as far as the Crimean peninsula.
On the front, the fighting is concentrated in eastern Ukraine where the two armies are facing each other, without significant progress.
According to Mykhailo Podoliak, Kiev needs, to break through the strong Russian defense lines, “200 to 300 additional armored vehicles, primarily tanks”, “60 to 80 F-16 aircraft” and “five to 10 additional air defense systems” American Patriot, or their French SAMP/T equivalents.
Moscow also announced Thursday travel restrictions for British diplomats in Russia, who will now have to notify Moscow in advance of their plans.
The day before, the head of British foreign intelligence (MI6) had called on Russians “dismayed” by the invasion of Ukraine to join his services, assuring that the recruitment of spies would be handled “with discretion and professionalism”.
20/07/2023 19:14:36 ??- Mykolaiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
