Two civilians died and three were wounded when a Russian drone struck a truck stop in Ukraine's Odesa region overnight Monday. The attack also targeted critical port infrastructure that Ukraine uses to export goods through Black Sea shipping terminals.
Two civilians lost their lives and three others sustained injuries during an overnight Russian assault on Ukraine’s Odesa region, according to Monday statements from Ukrainian emergency services and government officials.
The fatalities occurred after a Russian drone crashed into a truck stop facility, sparking a deadly blaze, emergency responders reported via the Telegram messaging platform.
Infrastructure Minister Oleksiy Kuleba confirmed through Telegram that Russian forces had targeted port facilities within the Odesa region during the strike.
“This is yet another blow to civilian logistics and port infrastructure. Russia is systematically attacking facilities that have no military purpose, trying to undermine the economy of the region and the country as a whole,” Kuleba said.
The minister reported that cargo transport storage facilities sustained damage during the bombardment.
The Odesa region houses a major maritime shipping center featuring terminals at the Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, and has faced repeated attacks throughout Russia’s comprehensive invasion that began in 2022.
Moscow dramatically escalated its assault frequency against Black Sea port facilities in late 2023 after President Vladimir Putin made threats to “cut Ukraine off from the sea.”
An anonymous transportation industry source told Reuters last week that recent months of strikes against Odesa’s ports have diminished their export capabilities by as much as 30% compared to levels before the war began.
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