Russian missiles strikes fuel storage facilities near the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa

Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) April 3, 2022 – Russian missiles strikes have destroyed fuel storage facilities near the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa. This is an escalation of the process of Ukrainian ports destruction in the Russian invasion that started on February 24. In the Azov Sea, the port of Berdyansk was occupied by Russia in the first days of the war. The port of Mariupol is almost fully destroyed after weeks of bombardment, missile strikes and heavy shelling. A free Odessa prevents Russia from establishing a land corridor to the Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdniestria, occupied by Russia decades ago. A free Mariupol also prevents Russia from establishing a land corridor to Ukraine’s Crimea, occupied by Russia in 2014. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration (USPA) reported that the port of Nikolaev was shelled by Russian miloary forces on March 22. As a result, the port infrastructure was significantly damaged. Odessa was previously subjected to heavy shelling by the Russian Navy on March 21. However, this attack stopped and Russian ships sailed away. Odessa’s port area shelling might be the preparation for an attack from the sea, but this could be very costly for Russia. After facing unexpected resistance by Ukrainian forces since the start of the war on February 24, it seems that Russian army is not able to launch an attack on such a strategic city as Odessa. Five Ukrainian Black Sea ports - Nikolaev, Olvia, Yuzhny, Odessa, Chernomorsk – still partially process the fleet standing at the berths and ship their cargo by rail and by road. But entry/exit of further ships in the ports is temporarily impossible, according to Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure. Naval mines A naval mine was observed in the Black Sea by a fishing boat on March 28 about 70 km from Romanian Capu Midia (20 km north of Black Sea largest port of Constanta). The Romanian Navy sent a minesweeper Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu to investigate and eliminate any potential danger. On March 26 Turkey's Navy deactivated a sea mine north of Istanbul. The mine was suspected to have drifted in from the Black Sea. It is unclear whether the mine was Ukrainian or Russian. Turkish media reported that another mine was spotted in the same area. Crews from Turkey's Underwater Defense Group (SAS) Command were dispatched to locate and diffuse the object. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has announced on March 19 that 420 mines are currently drifting in the Black Sea. Storms broke the anchor cables that attach the mines to the seabed which then drift. The FSB claimed that mines had been placed by Ukraine in the port areas to prevent Russian ships from approaching the shore. The Ukrainians counter claimed that Russia has planted mines along commercial sea routes stretching from the Bosphorus Strait to Odessa simultaneously alleging that they were Ukrainian. Greece has already issued a warning to Greek-flagged ships about the danger of mines in the Black Sea. The Greek Ministry of the Merchant Navy said that mines in the Black Sea might reach the Bosphorus and the Aegean Sea. Ukraine became a landlocked country after Russia blocked the Azov Sea and closed all its Black Sea ports. It is one of the world’s biggest grain and metals exporters with its corn sold to Europe and China, while its wheat is bought by the Middle East countries, North Africa, Turkey, and many others. Kiev can still use Danube River for water transport towards Europe. PortSEurope observations are that the cargo traffic in Danube’s Austrian section has intensified in the past week More PortSEurope news about the Ukrainian crisis Copyright (C) PortSEurope. All Rights Reserved. 2022.

Russian missiles strikes fuel storage facilities near the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa

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Russian missiles strikes fuel storage facilities near the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa

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All news

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