Russia’s Iskander launched a missile attack on a container ship carrying military cargo to the port of Odesa, causing a heavy fire, the Russian Defense Ministry said with a short post in the social media. According to the ministry, during the Russian strike on the container ship with military cargo in the port of Odesa, a secondary detonation and a large fire allegedly occurred. From its side, Ukraine said on Friday the strike hit civilian infrastructure inside the port.
The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine said on Friday that Russia fired two ballistic missiles at the port of Odesa on May 23.
The strike hit civilian infrastructure inside the port, damaging the engine room, whilst windows and doors in administrative buildings were broken, and vehicles and equipment were destroyed, according to Oleksii Kuleba, deputy prime minister for the restoration of Ukraine – minister for communities and territories development of Ukraine.
“It was an ordinary working day in an ordinary Ukrainian port. People worked, equipment overloaded containers,” Kuleba said.
“There was not a single military facility, only civilian infrastructure. Russia has once again hit a peaceful, strategically important facility that is vital for the world’s food security. We must strengthen the protection of our port infrastructure. And continue to work to guarantee the freedom and safety of navigation. Weapons and diplomacy are our tools on the way to peace and justice,” he added.
According to Kuleba, nearly 400 port infrastructure facilities and more than 30 ships have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war. A total of 106 civilians have been injured in strikes against port facilities, he said.
“On May 23, crews of Iskander missile systems launched a group missile strike on a container ship that was transporting military assets to the port of Odesa, as well as a warehouse storing containers in that port. The ship was carrying about 100 containers with military cargo, including UAVs and ammunition,” the Russian Defense Ministry said from its side.
“As a result of the fire impact on these targets there was a secondary detonation of the ammunition and containers that were stored on the pier, as well as a heavy fire,” the ministry noted.
