Ukrainian officials reported on Wednesday that Russian drones targeted the capital city, Kyiv, from multiple directions and caused damage to port infrastructure in Odesa.
According to the Ukrainian military, Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones, launched from the Sea of Azov passing through the Black Sea, intended to strike the Odesa region, were successfully intercepted.
In a statement on Telegram by the Operational Command South, it was revealed that the adversary specifically targeted the port and industrial infrastructure of the area, requiring air defence forces to stay active for nearly 3 hours.
Damage to Odesa’s Port Infrastructure
Regional governor Oleg Kiper confirmed the damage inflicted on the port infrastructure but stated no casualties were reported. He further explained that the assault led to fires at the region’s port and industrial facilities and caused damage to an elevator.
Russia has consistently targeted Odesa, a historically significant city on the Black Sea coast and one of Ukraine’s key ports since Moscow backed out of a grain agreement last month. Despite the ongoing conflict, this agreement facilitated Kyiv’s exports, allowing roughly 33 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports.
Minor ports, such as Izmail and Reni, have now assumed significant roles in the worldwide food supply, although they are struggling to manage the grain influx, leading to a massive bottleneck. Izmail, a port on the Danube River, has become the principal export route for Ukrainian agricultural products. However, these ports have also attracted attacks, with Reni targeted by Russian drones on July 24.
Overnight Drone Attacks on Capital Kyiv
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv also experienced an attack as over 10 Russian drones were shot down during an overnight assault, according to the city’s military administration on Wednesday.
Sergiy Popko, head of the administration, stated that the drone groups entered Kyiv from several directions simultaneously. All air targets, numbering more than 10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), were detected and destroyed promptly by air defence forces.
Popko revealed that Russia used a series of Iranian-made Shahed drones and that debris from the drones landed in several areas. In the Golosiivsky district, drone parts fell onto a playground and a non-residential building caught fire, though emergency services were quickly dispatched.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported that the capital’s attack damaged several districts, including the bustling Solomyansky district that houses an international airport. He confirmed that there were no casualties from the attack. The administration had previously alerted the residents about potential drone attacks and advised them to remain in shelters.
This latest wave of attacks follows Russia’s claim that it intercepted a series of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, Crimea, and Black Sea vessels the previous day. Russia vowed to escalate its strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure in retaliation for drone attacks across its territory, which it attributes to Kyiv.
