Kyiv, July 27 (EFE).- A fresh Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa has resulted in the tragic death of at least one civilian, the regional military administration said on Thursday.
This marks the latest Russian strike on Odesa in the past week, following Moscow’s withdrawal from a United Nations-brokered agreement for a sea corridor for Ukrainian grain shipments.
Oleg Kiper, the military governor of Odesa, announced on Telegram that the victim of the attack on Wednesday night was a 43-year-old civilian security guard.
Kiper stated that the Russian missiles targeted the port infrastructure, damaging the technical equipment of one of the cargo terminals.
The missiles hit two cars and a building that housed the port security personnel.
Last week, Russia launched frequent attacks on Odesa and other Ukrainian food export facilities, following Moscow’s announcement that it would not extend the grain agreement.
The agreement brokered by the UN and signed in July 2022 allows for the export of agricultural products through three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.
Ukraine and its Western allies are seeking to reopen the corridor, as it is crucial for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
Ukrainian exports play a critical role in ensuring food security in various regions, and the stability of the international agricultural market heavily relies on them.
In order to protect its port infrastructure and prevent the loss of maritime export capacity due to Russian attacks, Kyiv also requires additional anti-aircraft systems.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed “very good results” on the battlefront and has promised to provide the details soon.
“Today our boys had very good results at the front,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. “Good for them! Details will follow.”
He referred to the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian troops that began in early June in three different areas of the eastern and southern front.
The president said Ukraine could “quickly” reintegrate the occupied Crimea into its state fabric.
“I held several important meetings on preparing international events in August, including the Crimea platform,” the president said.
He said the Ukrainians were preparing a list of “de-occupation steps” for Crimea, including security, economic, and social. “We can quickly reintegrate Crimea into the state fabric of Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian army has claimed that the counteroffensive has helped Ukraine reclaim 35 sq km around Bakhmut city in the east and 192 sq km in the south and southeast.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Ukrainians may have succeeded in breaking through some Russian defensive positions south of Lyman City.
According to reports from the ISW and other sources monitoring the war, Ukraine has initiated a significant mechanized offensive in the western province of Zaporizhzhia, located in the southeast of the country.
This offensive is part of a larger counteroffensive taking place in three different areas.
Ukraine has insisted that the campaign is in an early reconnaissance phase, with small units identifying weak points in Russian defenses. EFE
mg-ssk
