Russian missile strikes civilian ship in Odesa second time this week, raising global food security concerns

A civilian vessel flying the flag of Palau was hit by a Russian ballistic missile in the port of Odesa, southern Ukraine, resulting in one fatality and five injuries.

The vessel was located in the Black Sea corridor, established by Ukraine, after Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative in mid-2023. The corridor aims to ensure the export of essential goods, particularly agricultural products, amid ongoing military threats from Russia. Its purpose is to maintain global food supplies, especially important for countries dependent on Ukrainian exports, such as those in Africa and the Middle East.

The attack, which targeted port infrastructure, killed a 60-year-old Ukrainian employee of a private cargo handling company and injured five foreign citizens, according to Oleh Kiper, Governor of Odesa Oblast. 

The vessel, identified as “OPTIMA,” had only entered the port for loading hours before the attack, as reported by Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine.

Kuleba stated that four injured crew members are in moderate condition, while one sustained minor injuries. All are currently receiving medical care.

The Deputy Prime Minister characterized these attacks as “a deliberate practice of intimidation and obstruction of the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor.” 

“In this way, the aggressor is trying to destroy shipping in the Black Sea and undermine Ukrainian efforts to ensure food security,” said Kuleba. 

This incident marks the second attack on a civilian ship in Odesa region ports within days.

Earlier, a Russian missile strike damaged a grain ship in Odesa. The ship, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis and carrying 6,000 tons of Ukrainian corn, was part of Ukraine’s Maritime Food Corridor, through which over 70 million tons of cargo have been exported in the past year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that the Black Sea grain corridor will remain operational despite Russian threats, including patrols by MiG-31 jets armed with Kinzhal missiles.

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