Russian missiles hit infrastructure in Ukraine's port of Odesa on Saturday, a day after Russia and Ukraine signed a deal to reopen Black Sea ports to resume grain exports, the Ukrainian military said.
"The enemy attacked the Odesa sea trade port with Kalibr cruise missiles; 2 missiles were shot down by air defense forces; 2 hit the infrastructure of the port," the Operational Command South wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal in Istanbul on Friday to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports to export millions of tonnes of grain that has been stuck in Ukrainian silos during Russia's invasion.
Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson said the attack called into question agreements and promises made by Russia in Istanbul to the United Nations and Turkey, which brokered the deal.
In a statement, Ukraine's foreign ministry called on the United Nations and Turkey to ensure that Russia fulfills its commitments under the agreement for a safe corridor for grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Responses
Russia's defense ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the attack.
US Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink called the strike "outrageous."
"Russia strikes the port city of Odesa less than 24 hours after signing an agreement to allow shipments of agricultural exports. The Kremlin continues to weaponize food. Russia must be held to account," she said on Twitter.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "unequivocally condemns" reported strikes on Saturday on Ukraine's Odesa port, a UN spokesperson said, adding that all parties in the Russia-Ukraine war had committed to a deal on Friday for the export of grains from Ukrainian ports.
"These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the globe," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement. "Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative."
Three people killed
Three people were killed as 13 Russian missiles hit a military airfield and railway infrastructure in Ukraine's central Kirovohrad region on Saturday, the local governor said.
Speaking on television, Governor Andriy Raikovych said two security guards at an electricity substation had been killed. He also said that one Ukrainian soldier had been killed and nine more wounded.
Raikovych said the strikes had disrupted the electricity grid and that one district of the regional capital Kropyvnytskyi had been left without power as a result.
Heavy fighting has been taking place in the last 48 hours as Ukrainian forces continued their offensive against Russia in Kherson province, west of the Dnipro River, British military intelligence said on Saturday.
Russian forces are using artillery fire along the Ingulets River, a tributary of the Dnipro, the UK's Defence Ministry said.
"Supply lines of the Russian forces west of the river are increasingly at risk," the ministry said in an intelligence update.
It added that additional Ukrainian strikes have caused further damage to the key Antonivsky Bridge, though Russia has conducted temporary repairs.