Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa on Monday, leaving at least one person dead and eight others injured.
Targeted Port Infrastructure
According to Ukrainian officials and Digi24, the missiles targeted key infrastructure at the port, an area critical to Ukraine’s export economy.
Odesa’s regional governor, Oleg Kiper, confirmed the attack on social media, noting that two of the injured are in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
“The enemy's target was port infrastructure,” Kiper said. “The injured individuals were workers at the port.”
He also revealed that two civilian ships were damaged in the assault. One of the ships was flying the flag of Belize, while the other, under the flag of Palau, had already sustained damage during a Russian attack the previous week.
A Focal Point
Odesa has become a focal point for Russian strikes in recent months, with attacks on both civilian vessels and critical port infrastructure.
Last week, eight people were killed when a container ship was struck by Russian forces in the region. These assaults have taken a heavy toll on Ukraine's ability to export grain, a key industry for the country, especially before the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Prior to the conflict, Ukraine was among the world’s largest grain exporters, but continued attacks on its ports and silos have drastically reduced that capacity.
Odesa, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, is not only a major port but also one of Ukraine's most culturally rich cities. Founded in 1794 by Catherine the Great, Odesa has long been a bustling hub of trade, culture, and industry.
Population of 1 Million People
The city was once one of the largest in the Russian Empire and continues to be a key economic center in Ukraine.
Before the war, Odesa had a population of around 1 million people, making it the third-largest city in Ukraine. Its strategic position on the Black Sea has also made Odesa a crucial port city.
In peacetime, Odesa’s ports handled millions of tons of cargo annually, including grain, coal, and oil products. Over 7,000 ships from all over the world would pass through its ports every year, helping make Ukraine a global player in agricultural exports.
But since the war began, Russia has targeted these ports to cripple Ukraine’s trade routes, and many ships now find it risky to dock in Odesa. The attacks have disrupted global food supplies, particularly in countries that rely heavily on Ukrainian grain exports.
