One killed in Russian drone attacks on port district: governor

KYIV: One person was killed in Russian drone attacks on a port district in Ukraine’s southwestern Odesa region early Wednesday, the regional governor said.

The night-time attacks lasted three hours and targeted the Izmail district, Oleg Kiper said on Telegram.

The Danube River port of Izmail, which borders NATO member Romania, has become a main export route for Ukrainian products following Russia’s withdrawal from a UN-brokered grain deal in July.

“Unfortunately, one person died,” said Kiper, adding that it was an agricultural worker who was seriously injured and died in hospital.

“Destruction and fires were recorded in several settlements,” he added, saying that port and agricultural infrastructure had been damaged, including administrative buildings.

Following the collapse of the deal allowing grain shipments from Black Sea ports, Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s southern Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, home to ports and infrastructure vital for agriculture exports.

Ukrainian forces downed 17 Russian drones over the Odesa region overnight into Monday.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday that the attacks had taken place “very, very close” to his country’s border.

Also overnight, Kyiv came under missile attack but there were no casualties, authorities said.

Russian aircraft fired cruise missiles at the Ukrainian capital while another missile type also targeted the city, Sergiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, wrote on Telegram.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said falling missile debris caused a fire at a commercial property in the Kyiv region, but the blaze was put out.

“No dead or injured were found,” it posted on Telegram, alongside pictures of fire crews working on two smouldering vehicles.

The Ukrainian air force said on Telegram that overall, across the country, 33 Russian air targets were recorded during the night.

It recorded seven cruise missiles, one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 25 Shahed drones, saying the missiles and 15 drones had been destroyed.

“Anti-aircraft missile forces, fighter aircraft, mobile fire groups and other means… were involved in repelling the air attack,” it said.