Russia Hits Palau-Flagged Grain Ship Twice, Leaves Two Sailors Missing

A Palau-flagged grain ship carrying nearly 2,800 tons of corn was hit twice by a Russian Shahed drone as it left the port in Odesa Oblast, Ukraine's Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport Mykola Kalashnyk said. The double strike caused a fire on board, leaving two sailors missing. Seven crew members and a Ukrainian pilot were rescued.

The attack is part of Russia's campaign against Ukraine's food exports, with ports and merchant ships targeted throughout July. In the past week, Russian strikes have hit three Greater Odesa ports and anchored merchant ships, cutting the region's grain-export capacity by roughly a third.