A Russian missile strike on the Odesa region claimed the lives of nine people and left 11 others injured after hitting a civilian cargo ship transporting humanitarian aid for Palestine.
The incident was reported by Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitaliy Koval.
The attack took place on October 10 and is the third Russian strike on civilian vessels in Odesa in just four days.
The Panama-flagged ship was carrying 45 containers of packaged sunflower oil, part of a UN-organized humanitarian aid shipment bound for Palestine. The vessel sustained severe damage in the attack.
In a post on Telegram, Koval highlighted Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to maintain global food security, stating that the country continues to supply food to 400 million people worldwide, even in the midst of war.
The minister also emphasized the need for enhanced air defense systems to protect Ukraine's agricultural and food export infrastructure.
Despite Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian seaports since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has resumed sea exports independently, with its Armed Forces ensuring the safety of temporary sea routes from Odesa's ports. However, the region has remained a frequent target of Russian missile attacks.
Earlier this week, another Russian strike on Odesa’s port infrastructure killed one person and injured five others.
