Russian Strike on Odesa Cargo Ship Kills 3 Foreign Crew Members
In the context of ongoing Ukraine strikes, a Russian strike on a civilian cargo vessel in the port of Odesa on July 13, 2026, killed three foreign crew members and injured five others, amid a series of attacks that also forced Ukraine's largest grain exporter Kernel to suspend operations at the Chornomorsk port after earlier strikes damaged its facilities.
Russian Strike Kills Crew on Cargo Ship in Odesa
A Russian strike hit a civilian cargo vessel flying the Togolese flag while it was unloading mineral fertilizers at the port of Odesa on July 13, killing three crew members and injuring five others, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for restoration and minister for communities and territories development, Oleksii Kuleba said. [1] The Russian strike hit the ship's superstructure, sparking a fire, Kuleba said. [1] The wounded sailors were hospitalized and are receiving medical treatment. [1] Kuleba condemned the attack as "another Russian strike against civilian shipping and Ukraine's port infrastructure." [1] "Such attacks threaten the safety of international navigation, the stability of global trade, and the world's food security," he added. [1]
Kernel Suspends Chornomorsk Port Operations
Ukraine's top grain exporter Kernel Holding said on Monday it had halted operations at Chornomorsk port due to a series of Russian attacks as Moscow intensifies pressure on key Ukrainian trade routes. [2] Kernel, the largest producer and exporter of grains in Ukraine, has been forced to suspend operations at its terminal facilities after Russian attacks on the Chornomorsk seaport. [4] On the nights of 10-11 and 11-12 July 2026, the port of Chornomorsk came under massive attack. [4] Kernel's port assets were also heavily hit. [4] The attacks caused significant destruction and forced the suspension of terminal operations. [4] The attacks damaged loading and unloading equipment, terminal infrastructure, and power supply lines. [4] Grain silos and sunflower oil storage tanks were destroyed or damaged, resulting in blockages, spillage and quality loss of around 45,000 tonnes of wheat and 9,000 tonnes of sunflower oil. [4] The company noted that, thanks to safety measures, no employees were injured. [4] A full technical assessment of the damage, the volume of lost grain and required capital expenditure is currently under way. [4] "The timeframe for restoring port capacity will depend on the completion of clean-up operations and the conclusions of an engineering audit," Kernel said. [4]
Russian strike damages facilities at Ukraine's Chornomorsk port operated by grain exporter Kernel. — Source: newsmax
Broader Impact on Ukrainian Port Infrastructure
Earlier, on the night of 4-5 June, a Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast damaged a Kernel terminal at the port of Chornomorsk. [4] On 19 May, during a nighttime Russian drone attack on Khmelnytskyi Oblast, a Kernel grain storage complex was damaged. [4] On the night of 2-3 May, Russian drones attacked port infrastructure in Chornomorsk, Odesa Oblast, damaging a vegetable oil transshipment terminal belonging to Kernel. [4] In August 2024, an oilseed processing plant belonging to Kernel in Ukraine's west was damaged in a Russian drone attack. [4]
Casualties and Civilian Damage Across Ukraine
The strike came amid a broader wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine that injured at least 57 people over the past day, according to regional authorities. [1] During the overnight assault on Odesa Oblast, 5 people, including a 5-year-old child, were injured. [1] Russian forces also struck civilian infrastructure, damaging a bus depot, a sanatorium, and other civilian sites. [1]
Threats to Global Food Security and Shipping
"Targeted strikes on port infrastructure pose a direct threat not only to global food security, but also to the safety of international shipping," the company added. [4] "In particular, vessels flying the flags of China and other countries that were in port for loading at the time of the attacks were put at risk," the company added. [4] Kuleba condemned the attack as "another Russian strike against civilian shipping and Ukraine's port infrastructure." [1] "Such attacks threaten the safety of international navigation, the stability of global trade, and the world's food security," he added. [1]
Context of Russian Attacks on Black Sea Ports
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure and commercial shipping since the start of the full-scale invasion, despite the reopening of a maritime export corridor that has allowed Ukraine to resume grain exports. [1] Ukrainian officials have warned that attacks on ports and civilian vessels threaten global food security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. [1]
What to watch next: The timeframe for restoring port capacity will depend on the completion of clean-up operations and the conclusions of an engineering audit, while a full technical assessment of the damage continues.
