Russia launched another wave of strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Friday, killing three people, damaging foreign-flagged merchant vessels, and further disrupting Ukraine’s vital grain export operations, according to Ukrainian officials.
A drone attack on port infrastructure in the southern city of Mykolaiv damaged three civilian ships sailing under foreign flags, regional prosecutors said. Earlier in the day, two Ukrainian crew members aboard one of the foreign vessels were killed during the attack.
In a separate strike on Odesa, Ukraine’s largest seaport, another civilian was killed, local authorities confirmed.
Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said a subsequent Russian attack struck a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel while it was berthed at one of the region’s ports. The strike damaged the ship, triggered a fire, and injured four of the vessel’s 17 crew members, all of whom were later safely evacuated.
Russia Targets Port Infrastructure
Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that its forces carried out overnight strikes targeting port facilities in Odesa and Chornomorsk.
The latest attacks are part of an intensified campaign against Ukraine’s maritime export infrastructure. While Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s Black Sea trade routes since the beginning of the war, recent strikes have increasingly focused on deep-water ports that handle the majority of the country’s grain exports and other strategic cargo.
According to Ukrainian port authorities, Russian attacks on ports and civilian vessels during July have killed at least 11 people, including port workers and foreign crew members.
Grain Exports Face Renewed Disruption
The continued attacks are taking a growing toll on Ukraine’s agricultural exports. Traders and market analysts report that repeated strikes have caused a partial suspension of grain shipments and an almost complete halt in grain purchases at port terminals, raising concerns over export volumes and global food supply chains.
The renewed disruption comes just a day after a Russian missile strike on a residential building in Odesa killed two civilians and injured several others.
Maritime Conflict Intensifies
Ukraine, meanwhile, continues efforts to disrupt Russian military logistics and operations in the Black Sea and around Russian-occupied Crimea.
Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, said recent operations have inflicted further damage on Russian naval assets. According to Brovdi, 159 Russian vessels have been struck in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov this month.
Russia disputed those claims, with its Ministry of Defence stating that Russian forces attacked 24 vessels allegedly used by the Ukrainian military during the past week.
Pressure on Global Supply Chains
The escalating attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure continue to place significant pressure on one of the world’s key grain exporters. Beyond the immediate humanitarian impact, the sustained disruption of maritime logistics threatens Ukraine’s economy and adds further uncertainty to global agricultural supply chains, highlighting the strategic importance of Black Sea shipping amid the ongoing conflict.
