Scores of exploding drones and 6 cruise missiles from a pre-dawn Russian assault on the important thing port of Odessa have been shot down by Ukrainian forces on Tuesday, authorities stated, a day after Moscow broke off a deal that had allowed Kyiv to ship very important grain provides from the Black Sea metropolis in the course of the conflict.
The Russians first sought to put on down Ukraine’s air defenses with the drones after which focused Odessa with six Kalibr cruise missiles, the Ukrainian army’s Southern Command stated.
All six missiles and 25 drones have been shot down by air defenses within the Odessa area and different areas within the south however their particles and shock waves broken some port amenities and some residential buildings, injuring an aged man at his house, officers stated.
The assault on one in every of Ukraine’s principal ports for exporting grain got here a day after the Kremlin blamed Ukraine and pledged to retaliate for blasts on Russia’s highway bridge to the occupied Crimean Peninsula. The bridge that was knocked out by what Moscow says have been strikes by Ukrainian seaborne drones is a key provide route for Russian forces within the conflict.
Odessa has usually been attacked since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 though the port was a part of the U.N.- and Türkiye-brokered deal permitting the protected Black Sea export of grain that Russia pulled out of on Monday.
The exit sparked outrage from Ukraine’s Western allies and the United Nations, which warned hundreds of thousands of the world’s poorest would “pay the price.”
The newest assault was “further proof that the country-terrorist wants to endanger the lives of 400 million people in various countries that depend on Ukrainian food exports,” Andriy Yermak, the top of Ukraine’s presidential workplace, stated on Telegram.
Hunger is a rising menace in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and excessive meals costs have pushed extra folks into poverty.
“The world must realize that the goal of the Russian Federation is hunger and killing people,” Yermak said. “They want waves of refugees. They need to weaken the West with this.”
The Kremlin stated the settlement can be suspended till Moscow’s calls for to raise restrictions on exports of Russian meals and fertilizer to the world are met.
Ukrainian authorities additionally reported a hearth late on Monday at an unspecified facility within the port of Mykolaiv, which supplies Ukraine with entry to the Black Sea, however gave few particulars.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated Tuesday its forces had foiled a Ukrainian assault on occupied Crimea utilizing 28 drones. The ministry stated 17 of the attacking drones have been shot down by air defenses and 11 others have been jammed by digital warfare means and crashed. It stated there was no injury or casualties.
The Black Sea grain export deal was one of many solely diplomatic successes of the conflict, lifting a de facto Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports and heading off a world meals emergency.
Ukraine and Russia are each among the many world’s largest exporters of grain and different foodstuffs. If Ukrainian grain is once more blocked from the market, costs may soar all over the world, hitting the poorest international locations hardest.
Moscow’s transfer “will strike a blow to people in need everywhere,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informed reporters on Monday.
“Hundreds of millions of people face hunger and consumers are confronting a global cost-of-living crisis. They will pay the price,” he stated.
Risky shipments
Russia says it may return to the grain deal, however provided that its calls for are met for guidelines to be eased for its personal exports of meals and fertilizer. Western international locations name that an try to make use of leverage over meals provides to pressure a weakening in monetary sanctions, which already present exceptions to permit Russia to promote meals.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has known as for the grain deal to proceed with out Russia’s participation, successfully searching for Türkiye’s backing to negate the Russian blockade. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the deal’s highly effective sponsor, says he thinks Moscow will be persuaded to return.
“We are not afraid. We have been approached by companies that own ships. They said that they are ready” to proceed shipments, Zelenskyy stated.
The U.N. stated a ultimate ship carrying Ukrainian grain by means of the Black Sea was inspected in Istanbul on Monday, just a few hours earlier than the deal expired.
Erdoğan on Monday stated he nonetheless believed Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants the continuation of this humanitarian bridge.” He stated he would discuss with the Russian chief earlier than his anticipated go to to Türkiye in August.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks together with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to deal with the most recent developments relating to the Black Sea grain deal, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported, citing diplomatic sources.
Commenting on options that Türkiye may defend ships, the Kremlin stated on Tuesday that transport grain with out safety ensures from Russia would carry dangers as a result of Ukraine makes use of these Black Sea waters for army actions.
“Without appropriate security guarantees, certain risks arise here. If (a future agreement) is formalized without Russia, then these risks should be taken into account,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed a briefing.
“The (grain deal) zone is used by the Kyiv regime for combat purposes,” he steered.
Peskov stated Moscow rejected U.S. criticism of its withdrawal from the initiative and stated Russia would proceed supplying grain to poor international locations.
Any try and reopen Ukrainian grain shipments with out Russia’s participation would in all probability rely upon insurance coverage corporations agreeing to offer protection. Industry sources have informed Reuters they’re contemplating the implications.
Separately, Poland’s Agriculture Minister Robert Telus stated Russia was utilizing grain as ammunition. Telus urged EU to assist enhance grain logistics as extra Ukraine grain will begin flowing by means of borders after the harvest.
Neighboring Moldova condemned the assaults and Russia’s determination to not lengthen the Black Sea grain deal.
“Last night’s bombing of Odessa region, including the port, reveals Russia’s tactic of weaponizing food depriving those most in need,” Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu stated on Twitter.
U.S. assist chief Samantha Power, who introduced greater than $500 million in humanitarian help throughout a go to to Ukraine on Monday, was anticipated to go to Odessa on Tuesday.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
