On November 8, the port of Pivdennyi was the target of an attack by Russia, resulting in a missile hitting a commercial ship, as reported by AgriCensus, which informed Ukrainian authorities.
During the incident, a part of the Ruler ship, with a deadweight of 92,000 tons, was hit while entering the port to load iron ore destined for China, according to trade sources. The ship was sailing under the Liberian flag, as indicated in the report.
Ukrainian authorities, according to the report, claim that this is Russia's 21st attack. The focus has been on port areas since the cancellation of the Black Sea Grains Initiative (BSGI) agreement.
The attack on Pivdennyi generated uncertainty in the market. There were no previous reports of ships being struck in Black Sea ports. Previous attacks focused on port infrastructure, according to AgriCensus.
Russian air attack triggers chaos in Odessa and raises tensions in the region
In the weeks leading up to the AgriCensus report, freight rates for vessels leaving Ukrainian Black Sea ports were declining due to an increase in the number of companies involved and an increase in vessel repairs.
The incident in Pivdennyi followed a major Russian airstrike on the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa on November 5, which resulted in at least eight injuries, fires in trucks loaded with grain and damage to one of the city's main art galleries. city, according to local officials cited in a Reuters report the day after the attack.
In the aforementioned attack, the governor of Odessa, Oleh Kiper, mentioned that 15 drones were targeting the city's port infrastructure.
The air force, cited by Reuters, said in a statement that Russia launched four different missiles targeting the southern regions of Odessa and Kherson. The report said the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, launched drones and missiles.
At the time of the Reuters report, there was no immediate comment from Russia. According to the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, the attack was a response to Ukrainian attacks in Crimea.
Source: Oils & Fats International
