Drone Strikes Hit Odesa Port and Damage Infrastructure

Reports say that Russian drone attacks targeted critical infrastructure at Ukraine’s Port of Odesa on the Black Sea, causing damage and igniting a fire in the cargo hold of a vessel.

Ukraine’s air force stated that Russia launched 215 drones starting at 6:00 pm local time on April 21, with 189 reportedly intercepted and destroyed.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said the strikes caused damage to warehouses, berths, railway lines, and facilities operated within the port.

Beyond the port area, drones also struck a railway sorting yard. The attack resulted in the death of an assistant train driver, while the train driver was injured and taken to hospital.

Since the start of the Russo-Ukraine war, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s maritime export infrastructure, aiming to disrupt key ports that are vital for trade and wartime logistics.