Ukraine Strikes Russia's Key Grain Terminal, Raising Fears of Global Food Shortages
Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Russia's Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, killing three people and putting two major grain terminals out of action. The attack caused widespread damage to residential buildings and industrial plants, with dozens affected.
The Ukrainian military used jet-powered drones, missiles, and unmanned naval systems in the assault, targeting air defense positions, piers, and seaport infrastructure, according to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attack is part of a prolonged campaign by Ukraine against Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Russia has been heavily reliant on its Black Sea ports for grain exports, with most of those exports passing through Novorossiysk. The disruption to these exports has raised fears of price hikes and food shortages in Africa and the Middle East. Russia's main grain lobby group had warned last month that Ukrainian attacks could shut down grain exports via the Black Sea.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian drones damaged several homes in Russia-occupied Crimea, while Russian attacks on Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia triggered a blaze at a shopping mall and cut off power for 1,200 consumers. Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine's food, agriculture, and warehouse facilities in response to Kyiv's attacks on Russian energy, port, and logistics hubs.