Three Filipino crew members and one port worker were injured, according to the Southern Operations Command of the Ukrainian military, which posted pictures of the damaged ship on Telegram.
According to Ukrainian forces, the Russians fired a Ch-31P missile in the direction of an unspecified Ukrainian port from an airplane in the Black Sea (Russian air-to-ground missile, note ed.), which hit the upper part of the ship when it was entering the port, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported.
The army did not provide more details, the Russians did not comment on the attack and its balance. However, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the ship was supposed to transport iron ore to China. Her name is Kmax Ruler, Reuters reported.
Russia has been attacking Ukraine’s ports and infrastructure, mainly for grain exports, since mid-July, when it withdrew from the so-called Black Sea Grain Agreements.
Despite the fighting, Ukraine, which was resisting Russian military aggression, was able to export agricultural products across the Black Sea, which are needed by many countries, especially in Africa and Asia.
After withdrawing from the conventions, Moscow also warned that it would consider ships sailing to Ukrainian ports as vessels that could carry weapons. Meanwhile, Kyiv has established its own corridor running along the coast.
