KYIV: Ukraine claimed the destruction of 22 Russian drones in the southern Odesa region, while Moscow confirmed it had struck the Danube port of Reni, situated on the border with NATO member Romania.
For weeks, Russia has been targeting Ukrainian port infrastructure in the Odesa region, following its withdrawal from an agreement that previously allowed safe passage for ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force statement on Telegram, “On the night of September 3, 2023, the Russian occupiers launched several waves of attacks by ‘Shahed-136/131’ UAVs from the south and southeast.” Of the twenty-five attack drones that were launched, “22 of these drones were destroyed by the forces in cooperation with the air defense of other components of the Ukrainian Defence Forces,” the statement read.
However, Ukrainian prosecutors reported that some of the drones had impacted the Danube area, resulting in at least two individuals sustaining injuries.
Russian Attacks on Ukraine’s Danube Ports
The Russian military disclosed that its target in Reni was “fuel storage facilities,” located across the Danube River from NATO and EU member Romania. Bucharest had previously condemned Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Danube ports of Reni and Ismail.
Since the breakdown of the United Nations-brokered deal in July, which had allowed grain shipments from Black Sea ports, Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s southern Odesa and Mykolaiv regions. These areas are home to ports and infrastructure crucial for agricultural exports.
Last month, the first civilian cargo ship, sailing from Ukraine through the Black Sea, defiantly reached Istanbul in violation of the Russian blockade. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that two more vessels had successfully traversed the country’s “temporary Black Sea grain corridor.”
