Ports of Odesa and Chernomorsk Attacked as Russia Claims Military Targets

The Ukrainian ports of Odesa and Chernomorsk were both included in the current wave of Russian attacks, which have been called among the largest since the start of the war in Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement afterward claiming the strikes were justified as they were military targets and containers aboard a ship being used to import drones and other supplies.

Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, posted on social media calling the attack on Odesa civilian infrastructure. He said that Russia had struck a “peaceful, strategically important object that matters to the world’s food security.”

According to Kuleba, one port worker was killed during the attack on May 23 which included two ballistic missile strikes on the port area in Odesa. He said that eight other civilian employees of the port were also injured with four in serious condition. Unconfirmed media reports later said the death toll increased to three people.

Damage was reported to include windows and doors in the administrative buildings. Vehicles and other equipment were also reported destroyed. Pictures showed containers burning and reports of smoke plumes that could be seen for miles.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the strikes using Iskander-type missiles which they said targeted a containership carrying 100 containers of military cargo. They asserted the boxes were loaded with parts for unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, and artillery ammunition. Some of the containers were still on the unnamed ship and others were on the dock. They also said a container warehouse was targeted in Odesa. The report cited secondary explosions which they said were evidence of the ammunition in the containers.

Media reports highlighted that it was a daytime raid. They speculated that the Russian forces feared the equipment would be quickly moved out of the port making it more difficult to target.

They also claimed strikes on military facilities located in the port area of Chernomorsk. It was part of a series of attacks reported to be the largest aerial assault which reportedly included 367 drones and missiles targeting many sites in Ukraine including in the capital of Kyiv. In anger, Donald Trump wrote on social media that Vladimir Putin “has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Russia responded saying Trump is showing signs of “emotional overload.” Unconfirmed reports from Ukraine assert that Russia is launching a major new offensive despite Trump’s calls for peace talks and promises of a ceasefire.

Kuleba said this weekend’s attacks on the ports were a continuation of Russia’s assault on infrastructure used for grain shipments. He reported Russia has damaged or destroyed almost 400 pieces of port infrastructure and more than 30 ships. Ukraine says 106 civilian port employees have been injured during the fighting but did not report a number killed.

These attacks come after Ukraine highlighted that exports had returned to pre-war levels. In addition to grain, metal products and raw materials are being shipped. Container service was also restored with major carriers using feeder ships to move cargo in and out of the Odesa port area.