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Russian missiles have hit infrastructure in Ukraine’s port of Odesa, a day after Russia and Ukraine signed a deal to reopen Black Sea ports, the Ukrainian military has said.
“The enemy attacked the Odesa sea trade port with Kalibr cruise missiles; two missiles were shot down by air defence forces; two hit the infrastructure of the port,” the Operational Command South wrote on Telegram on Saturday.
Public broadcaster Suspilne quoted the Ukrainian military as saying the missiles had not caused significant damage and a government minister said preparations continued to restart grain exports from Black Sea ports.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday brokered the agreement in a bid to resume grain exports and ease a global food crisis.
Odesa, the largest Ukrainian seaport and one of the largest ports in the Black Sea basin, has remained under Kyiv’s control, albeit being blockaded by Russia.
The signing of the deal on Friday — which includes Odesa as well as the ports of Yuzhne and Chornomorsk — has been hailed as a “beacon of hope” by the UN.
Guterres on Saturday “unequivocally” condemned the missile attacks on the port, which is key to the UN-brokered deal.
“The Secretary-General unequivocally condemns reported strikes today in the Ukrainian port of Odesa,” his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement.
“Full implementation [of the deal] by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative,” he added.
However, Russia has denied any involvement in the missile strikes on Odesa, Turkey said on Saturday. — RT
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