Ukraine and Russia on Monday struck ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov with missiles and drones, stepping up military action in a vital grain export area, sending wheat prices soaring on world markets, Reuters reported, citing military statements from both sides, BTA reported.
Ukrainian armed forces said they had struck at least 11 Russian ships, and the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had hit a Ukrainian military ship and a motorboat as they were heading to ports in the Odessa region.
The commander of Ukraine's naval forces for unmanned systems Robert Brody said on Telegram that the latest targets included five oil tankers in the Black and Azov Seas, as well as a gas tanker, three dry cargo ships and two tugboats in the Black Sea. He said the total number of ships hit by Ukrainian forces this month had now reached 147.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had also struck military and industrial facilities in Kiev related to the production and storage of medium- and long-range drones, as well as infrastructure facilities in the ports of Odessa and Yuzhny (Pivdenny).
Reuters said it could not immediately confirm the information from the battlefield.
Ukraine has been striking ships in the Azov Sea since early July. Brodsky said on Wednesday that Ukraine had also begun striking Russian ships in the Black Sea, as Kiev continues its campaign to disrupt the logistics of Russian forces and isolate Russia-annexed Crimea.
Ukraine has also been targeting Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries and tankers, to undermine Moscow's ability to continue waging a war that has been going on for five years.
Russia has stepped up strikes on Ukraine's deep-sea Black Sea ports in the Greater Odessa region, which handle much of the country's grain and other cargo and are vital to its military economy.
The Ukrainian attacks have forced Russia, the world's largest grain exporter, to restrict shipping in the Sea of Azov — a route that carries about a quarter of its grain exports, Reuters sources said. Shipping remained restricted today, they added.
Two of Ukraine's three Black Sea ports were operating normally this morning, while the port of Chernomorsk significantly reduced grain intake, Ukrainian state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said.
The company said 901,300 tonnes of grain had been shipped to the ports since the beginning of July, "which is, of course, less than last month."
Ukrainian officials said Russian ballistic missiles had hit at least two districts in Kiev early today, causing fires and killing two people.
Wheat prices in Europe jumped 7% yesterday after escalating attacks in the Black Sea raised concerns about key grain export routes, with traders expecting some demand to be cut. redirected to supplies from the European Union.
The benchmark September wheat futures contract on the Paris-based “Euronext“ ended the day's trading up 7% to €231.75 per metric ton – a price not seen since February 2025.
Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade jumped 5% on Wednesday, though they were slightly lower in early trading on Thursday morning.
Ukraine has lost about a third of its grain export capacity through its Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and drone attacks, the country's main agricultural union said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called for the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
"This is also a fundamental issue for Ukraine. It is of vital importance, because the Black Sea is the main export route for Ukrainian goods," he told reporters.