Russian missiles have struck a civilian container ship at a port in Ukraine’s Odesa region, killing eight people, according to local officials. The region’s governor, Oleh Kiper, condemned the attack as “yet another crime” by an “insidious enemy,” noting that this was the third strike on a civilian vessel in the past four days. He confirmed that Russia had targeted port infrastructure and that all the victims were Ukrainian.
Among the dead were a 46-year-old port employee and a 26-year-old man, who both succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Several others were wounded in the attack.
These strikes on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports occurred during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s European tour, where he is meeting with leaders in London, Paris, and Rome. In London, he met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and NATO’s new secretary general, Mark Rutte, who warned of Ukraine facing its toughest winter since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Zelensky had been scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden in Berlin, but Biden canceled his trip due to the threat posed by Hurricane Milton. This comes as concerns rise over continued Western support for Ukraine with the US elections less than a month away. Zelensky, however, downplayed any disappointment, stating, “Any leader in similar circumstances would have stayed in their country,” while expecting a new schedule for the meeting to be arranged soon. He is set to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican on Friday before continuing to Germany.
Meanwhile, Russia’s overnight attacks on Ukraine wounded several people in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, destroying 29 homes. A large crater was found in the mud, with debris scattered around, and residents were seen surveying the damage in their dressing gowns and slippers.
In response, Ukrainian drones targeted a military airfield in the Maikop region of southern Russia, prompting the evacuation of 40 people from a nearby village.
Russia’s missile strike on the Odesa region hit a Panamanian-registered ship on Wednesday night, according to local governor Oleh Kiper. This attack came two days after a Palau-flagged ship was struck, resulting in one fatality. Another ship, carrying 6,000 tonnes of corn, was attacked on Sunday. Ukrainian officials claim Russia’s assault on Odesa’s Black Sea ports is aimed at destroying grain exports, which are vital for global food security, particularly following this year’s harvest.
Russia has not issued any public statements about the recent attacks, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not address them during his daily briefing, offering no information on the matter.
Diana, a local resident who lives near the waterfront in Odesa, expressed concern over the renewed strikes, noting, “It feels like they are focusing on the port again, like last summer.” She shared that Iranian-made Shahed drones are now launched nearly every night, buzzing ominously overhead before being either shot down by air defences or striking their targets.
Diana also voiced anxiety about the future of the war as President Zelensky travels the world promoting his “Victory Plan.” She expressed frustration, stating, “It’s more like anger, because we have no idea what this plan is about. We can only assume that it would be some kind of compromise. But Russia has already caused so much damage and killed so many people. I’m not sure our society would accept any kind of compromise in Russia’s favour.”
Ukraine’s original peace formula included restoring territorial integrity and security commitments, but the specifics of Zelensky’s current plan have not been made public.
Another Odesa region resident, Oleksandr, spoke of his despair, saying, “This war has to end. It’s been tough and bloody, and it feels like it’s going in spirals. Now it feels like the level of violence and destruction is growing.” He recounted the flash and blast wave of another attack earlier in the week and expressed concern over the renewed Russian strikes targeting Ukraine’s grain exports. He noted, “This is a different level… Russian ballistic missiles get better, and we don’t have enough air defences, just a lot of promises. The situation is getting worse, and more people die.”
According to Ukrainian figures, over 20 civilian ships have been damaged in Russian attacks since the war began in 2022. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, has called on “responsible states” to uphold freedom of navigation and ensure global food security. The attacks have also caused significant damage to grain silos and other critical port infrastructure.
Just last week, the port of Izmail near the River Danube was targeted by drones, and a Romanian border crossing and grain facility were also affected. Despite these setbacks, Ukraine has managed to establish a maritime corridor to safeguard grain exports after Russia exited the Black Sea grain deal last year.
Ukraine’s agriculture ministry in Kyiv reported that around 962,000 tonnes of grain have been exported so far this month, marking a substantial increase compared to the same period last year, with exports now double the previous volume.
