Russia steps up Ukraine attacks with strike on ship in Odesa port

Keep knowledgeable with free updates

Merely signal as much as the Struggle in Ukraine myFT Digest — delivered on to your inbox.

Russia has struck a cargo ship moored within the Ukrainian port of Odesa, elevating issues concerning the security of a maritime hall that has change into an important export channel for Kyiv’s agricultural commodities.

A strike late on Monday utilizing two Iskander-M ballistic missiles broken the Palau-registered Optima cargo ship, killing one Ukrainian and injuring 5 overseas crew members, in keeping with Odesa’s authorities. 4 of the injured are in critical situation, they mentioned.

It was the second strike on Odesa port in two days. On Sunday, the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged Paresa, a cargo ship loaded with grain and corn, was broken. The assault was adopted by a mass drone assault on the area, early on Tuesday damaging an administrative constructing in Odesa and inflicting a hearth throughout three flooring of an residence block within the metropolis of Chornomorsk.

In accordance with Kyiv officers, Russia has hit 21 cargo vessels after it pulled out of a year-long, UN-brokered grain export deal. Ukraine then started exporting items from its ports below the duvet of its coastal air defence programs.

Ukraine’s reconstruction minister Oleksiy Kuleba mentioned the assaults had been an try and “disrupt the profitable work” of the export hall.

Weekly grain exports elevated 56 per cent to 11.2mn tonnes this September, from 7.2mn tonnes final October, in keeping with information revealed by the nation’s agriculture ministry on Monday. Kuleba mentioned Ukraine had exported 70mn tonnes of grain utilizing 2,500 ships over the previous yr.

Odesa’s sea and river ports have been hit about 200 occasions since July 2023, in keeping with information shared by regional authorities with the Monetary Instances. To focus on the ports Russia primarily makes use of ballistic missiles that may strike inside minutes of being launched, making them tough to intercept.

The intention of Russia’s assaults can “solely be to extend instability in delicate areas of the world that rely on meals imports”, Kuleba mentioned.

Backed by Ukraine, insurance coverage agency Marsh McLennan brokered a deal final November to supply danger cowl for vessels departing from the nation. Brokers have urged insurers to “ditch” arbitrary exclusions for Ukraine.

Odesa seaport authorities advised the FT that companies have taken to storing their items additional inland to mitigate the danger. They added that though the port had been broken, it might take a “nuclear weapon [to] take out a complete port”.

Really useful

Companies have additionally exported items via the Odesa area’s Danube river ports that result in Romanian territorial waters.

Ambrey, a UK maritime intelligence firm, suggested transport teams to “conduct complete dynamic voyage risk assessments” and for crew members to remain inside their vessels throughout an assault.

Russia’s defence ministry has not commented on Monday’s assault. It mentioned the cargo vessel broken on Sunday was a Ukrainian army ship, with out offering any proof for the declare.