Russian drones strike Ukraine's Izmail port: governor

KYIV: Russian drones damaged the Danube river port of Izmail in Ukraine, causing a fire and civilian injuries, the regional governor said Wednesday.

The Ukrainian military claimed 32 drones were downed during the attack.

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.

Russia “once again attacked the south of Odesa region”, Odesa regional governor Oleg Kiper said on Telegram.

“Several groups of strike drones were directed at the Izmail district,” he added.

“Damage to port and other civil infrastructure was recorded.”

He said a fire broke out and civilians had been injured.

Izmail, on the border with NATO member Romania, has become a main export route for Ukrainian products following Russia’s withdrawal from a UN-brokered grain deal in July.

The Defence Forces of Southern Ukraine later said on Telegram that the attack on Odesa region lasted four and a half hours.

The drones “aimed at the civilian infrastructure of the Danube”, their update said.

Thirty-two Iranian-made Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles “were shot down by air defence forces”.

“The port infrastructure suffered damage from the strikes, and a fire… was extinguished promptly.”

Seven civilian drivers were taken to a medical facility “with injuries of varying degrees of severity”.