Russian drones hit two Danube River ports which are critical to Ukraine’s grain exports. The explosions could be heard in Romania.
Ukrainian Officials said at least two people were injured in the attack on Reni and Izmail which have been repeatedly struck by drones in recent weeks. Both ports are close to the Romanian border.
The Ukrainian Air Force said air defense systems shot down 22 of the 25 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia.
Some residents in the Romanian Danube port of Galati reported being woken by the thud of explosions early Sunday.
The Danube has become Ukraine’s main route for exporting grain since July, when Russia pulled out of a UN and Turkey negotiated deal that had given safe passage to Kyiv’s exports of grains via the Black Sea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan are due to hold talks Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Turkey wants to revive the grain deal.
The Russian Defense Ministry was quoted as saying that a group of Russian drones successfully struck fuel depots at the Reni port used by the Ukrainian military.
The Black Sea grain deal of July 2022, aimed to alleviate a global food crisis. Ukraine is a major producer of grains and the disruption of its exports after the outbreak of war in February last year pushed global food prices to record highs.
Russia has complained that under the deal its own food and fertilizer exports faced obstacles and that not enough Ukrainian grain was going to countries in need.
Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports edge closer to Romanian territory
