RUSSIAN missile strikes have hit the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa, just one day after Ukraine and Russia agreed on a deal that would allow the resumption of vital grain exports from the region, reports CNN.
Serhii Bratchuk, a spokesman for the Odessa military administration, said two missiles hit the infrastructure of the port and two were shot down by Ukraine's air defense. The strikes hit a pumping station at the port.
At least six explosions were heard in Odesa, according to Ukrainian member of parliament, Oleksiy Goncharenko.
It comes one day after ministers from both Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul - to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports aimed at easing the global food crisis sparked by war.
'That's all you need to know about deals with Russia,' Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas added on Twitter. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said the bloc 'strongly condemns' the attack.
'Striking a target crucial for grain export a day after the signature of Istanbul agreements is particularly reprehensible and again demonstrates Russia's total disregard for international law and commitments,' Mr Borrell wrote on Twitter.
'Russia agreed to some deal on grain export, but immediately after this attacked it showing they want to continue to threaten the world's food security,' Ukrainian member of parliament Mr Goncharenko said in an interview with CNN.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia's missile attack 'casts serious doubt' on the grain deal reached by Russia and Ukraine just the day before.
'This attack casts serious doubt on the credibility of Russia's commitment to yesterday's deal and undermines the work of the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine to get critical food to world markets. Russia bears responsibility for deepening the global food crisis and must stop its aggression and fully implement the deal to which it has agreed,' Mr Blinken wrote in the statement.
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Serhii Bratchuk, a spokesman for the Odessa military administration, said two missiles hit the infrastructure of the port and two were shot down by Ukraine's air defense. The strikes hit a pumping station at the port.
At least six explosions were heard in Odesa, according to Ukrainian member of parliament, Oleksiy Goncharenko.
It comes one day after ministers from both Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul - to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports aimed at easing the global food crisis sparked by war.
'That's all you need to know about deals with Russia,' Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas added on Twitter. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said the bloc 'strongly condemns' the attack.
'Striking a target crucial for grain export a day after the signature of Istanbul agreements is particularly reprehensible and again demonstrates Russia's total disregard for international law and commitments,' Mr Borrell wrote on Twitter.
'Russia agreed to some deal on grain export, but immediately after this attacked it showing they want to continue to threaten the world's food security,' Ukrainian member of parliament Mr Goncharenko said in an interview with CNN.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia's missile attack 'casts serious doubt' on the grain deal reached by Russia and Ukraine just the day before.
'This attack casts serious doubt on the credibility of Russia's commitment to yesterday's deal and undermines the work of the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine to get critical food to world markets. Russia bears responsibility for deepening the global food crisis and must stop its aggression and fully implement the deal to which it has agreed,' Mr Blinken wrote in the statement.
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