Russia has intensified missile and drone attacks on the port infrastructure of Odesa and the region. Commercial ships are also under attack.
On July 19, Russian forces attacked the bulk carrier GOLDEN LEO, belonging to Turkey and flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, with three X-59/X-69 cruise missiles.
At the time of the strike, it was moving out of the combat zone with a cargo of food, with 17 Syrian and Indian citizens and a pilot, a Ukrainian, on board.
According to new Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, a fire broke out on the ship after the strike, but due to the threat of a repeated attack, rescuers had to retreat to a safe zone.
“With the military command, we are preparing solutions to enhance the security of shipping and help protect civilian ships and sailors from criminal Russian attacks,” the Prime Minister said.
He described these actions by Russia as an attack on the freedom of navigation and the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure, and Transport, Mykola Kalashnik, said that this is a “war crime by Russia and a blow to the safety of international shipping and global food security.”
Overall, according to the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the Russian army has hit 28 commercial vessels in the ports of Greater Odesa within the last month.
Meanwhile, the Regional State Administration emphasizes: since July 13, the Russian army has launched about 300 air targets over the region, killing 18 people and injuring 69.
Throughout the week, the Russian Ministry of Defense has particularly emphasized strikes on the Odesa region in its public communication and does not hide that it also hits vessels.
Humanitarian catastrophe?
While local authorities in Odesa are asking residents and guests not to ignore alarms and to take care of safety, Ukrainian officials are calling on the international community to pay attention to Russia’s current tactics, or it may result in a humanitarian catastrophe.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s attacks in the Black Sea, Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council and suggests convening it on Monday, July 27.
“Russia is holding global food security hostage… Today, not a single ship passed through the Ukrainian sea corridor in the Black Sea, right in the middle of the harvest season. This is a deliberate act of economic and humanitarian terror… If this terror continues, millions of families in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America may face rising food prices and hunger,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha.
On July 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India summoned the acting Russian charge d’affaires Volodymyr Ladanov and expressed “serious concern” over the death of the country’s citizens due to the Russian strike on the commercial vessel.
“Attacks on commercial vessels and, consequently, the death of innocent civilians are unacceptable and must be avoided,” the Indian ministry stated.
In response, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated: “Our armed forces are striking and will continue to strike at those vessels involved in transporting ammunition, weapons, etc., for the Kyiv regime’s purposes.”
“Worst Conditions Since 2023”
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) highlighted the intensification of Russian strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure in the Odesa region and ships entering Ukrainian ports.
According to its analysts, the situation has worsened since at least July 10.
ISW notes that such Russian strikes are not a new tactic for Russia.
Currently, they are believed to be aimed at deteriorating the Ukrainian economy and reducing the country’s export capabilities.
These strikes could also be considered a response to Ukraine’s recent strike campaign on Russian ships in the Azov and Black Seas, ISW adds.
One of the most authoritative sources in global shipping, Lloyd’s List, reports that due to recent Russian attacks in the Black Sea, shipowners are increasingly refusing to enter Ukrainian ports, as working conditions have become “the worst since the termination of the grain agreement in 2023.”
Additionally, Lloyd’s List notes that in light of these events, freight rates, insurance costs, and overall logistics costs are rising, while the number of available vessels is decreasing, although the ports continue to operate.
It is currently known that one of the world’s largest carriers, the shipping company Maersk, suspended service through the Black Sea fishing port on July 21.
Maersk became the second key company to cease operations in the Black Sea in July. Kernel Holding, Ukraine’s largest grain exporter, also halted operations at the city’s main port last week due to a series of Russian strikes.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities emphasize that the decision to take such measures was made by the shipowners themselves; the state has not imposed any movement restrictions.
“Until yesterday, four or five ships entered the ports. This is not much, but there was movement. As of today, entries have stopped. This is the decision of the shipowners – the state did not restrict anything on its part,” stated Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky during a conversation with journalists on July 23.
He also emphasized that “it is too early to talk about a complete blockade of maritime export,” and added that the government is working on solutions to help restore shipping.
Ukraine Strikes on Crimea and at Sea
Kyiv seeks to isolate the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally occupied in 2014.
Between July 6 and 19, the UAV Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine disabled three of the five ferries that maintained the Kerch crossing, likely reducing its capacity by 75%.
On July 18, the UAV Forces also struck 13 “shadow fleet” ships in the Black and Azov Seas: eight cargo ships, a tanker, a gas tanker, a tugboat, and two floating cranes.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the targeted ships were used to supply fuel and lubricants to Russian military groups and to transport oil products circumventing international sanctions.
Featured: On July 19, 2026, Russian forces launched three X-59/X-69 cruise missiles at the vessel GOLDEN LEO under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, hitting the starboard superstructure. Photo: Ukrainian Navy
