Multiple Deaths, Injuries and Ship Damaged as Attacks Intensify on Ukraine

Ukrainian officials are reporting multiple deaths and injuries in the Odesa port region as Russia intensifies its attacks on the Black Sea ports. The reports indicate that the third foreign vessel, a containership, was also damaged during the overnight attacks which appeared timed to Ukraine’s harvest and exports to increase exports.

The latest attack was centered on the region around the port of Chornomorsk with the official reports saying it was struck by a ballistic missile attack. Unconfirmed reports by the Ukrainian media are also quoting residents saying for several nights they have heard the buzz of drones. The reports state that debris from Iranian-made Shahed drones was found possibly after they were shot down by Ukraine’s air defenses.

Reports indicate there were as many as 11 missile strikes in the port area with the death toll at last report having risen to eight including two 26-year-old civilians, a man and a woman, who both died at a hospital. At least nine people, some seriously, were injured in the attacks. It also appeared to be a coordinated series of attacks across multiple regions in Ukraine. The southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia reported 29 buildings damaged resulting in injuries to at least six people.

The Panama-flagged containership Shui Spirit (21,614 dwt) docked in Chornomorsk on October 8, Tuesday and appears to be part of the feeder service to Constanta, Romania.  The vessel is listed as having been sold in May 2024 and is now managed from Portugal. Built in 2000, it has a capacity of approximately 1,600 TEU. 

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba reported the damage to the vessel in a social media posting highlighting it was the third vessel struck in four days. There were no reports of injuries to the crew. Five crewmembers were injured in Monday's attacks and one workers in the port killed. Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitalii Koval reproted that the vessel was loading 45 containers with sunflower oil that was part of a humanatarian shipment bythe UN going to Gaza.

“Russia is purposefully intensifying its attacks on the port infrastructure in southern Ukraine,” wrote Kuleba on Telegram. “The purpose of these attacks is to reduce our export potential.” 

Ukraine contends Russia is targeting grain exports which will “provoke a food crisis.” The reports said the targets of the shelling were primarily ports, civilian ships, and granaries. Kuleba writes that there have been almost 60 attacks over the past three months damaging 300 pieces of port infrastructure. He says a total of 79 civilians were injured, including employees of ports, logistics companies, and ship crews.

The reports indicate that the Russian attacks on the Black Sea ports damaged $1.5 billion worth of equipment and products. 

Reports are questioning the time of these attacks pointing out that they come after the critical harvest and the export season increases. They also note that they seem timed to the visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky to Europe including stops in London, Paris, and Rome. Yesterday he met with the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and today with French President Emmanuel Macron. He also held a meeting with the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

A spokesperson for the European Union denounced the attacks on the port infrastructure calling them a “blatant violation of international law. The EU again called for the attacks to stop immediately.