Russia continues its aerial assault on Ukrainian food exports, with the fourth drone attack in just five days targeting grain silos and infrastructure near the Danube River port of Izmail.
The governor of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, reported that Thursday’s attack lasted for three hours, resulting in injuries to two truck drivers and damage to several homes due to blast waves. The Ukrainian military confirmed damage to agricultural facilities but did not provide specific details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to disrupt Ukrainian cereal exports began in July when he withdrew from the Black Sea grain initiative, an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey to ensure safe passage for ships transporting Ukrainian grain. The collapse of this initiative led to a surge in global grain prices, directly impacting humanitarian supplies to regions facing potential famine. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent meeting with Putin failed to persuade the Russian leader to reinstate the agreement.
Izmail, the primary Ukrainian port along the Danube, has been a focal point of Russian bombing raids. Ukrainian grain is typically loaded onto ships that traverse Romanian, Bulgarian, and Turkish territorial waters, as well as being transported westward by river to the rest of Europe.
This latest bombing of grain facilities occurred as Russia criticized the United States for supplying depleted uranium tank rounds to Ukraine, labeling it a “criminal act.” Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, argued that this decision demonstrated Washington’s “outrageous disregard for the environmental consequences of using these kind of munitions in a war zone.”
Depleted uranium rounds are known for their effectiveness in piercing armor. While they are not banned under international law, there are concerns about their environmental and health effects. The International Atomic Energy Agency has noted that the radiological risk to the general population is not significant, but there is a potential risk for individuals who come into direct contact with depleted uranium fragments or munitions.
The delivery of depleted uranium weapons from the US was announced during the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ukraine. During his visit, Blinken toured Yahidne in the northern Chernihiv region, which was occupied by Russian forces early in the conflict. He visited a school basement where Russian forces had held dozens of villagers captive for a month. Blinken expressed understanding for the slow pace of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, citing extensive Russian preparations and defensive fortifications.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, concurred, explaining that once Ukrainian forces breach Russian defensive lines, the offensive will gain momentum.
