Russian forces carried out a ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region during daylight hours on 15 January, injuring a crew member aboard a civilian vessel and causing an oil spill, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksii Kuleba, reported that the missile hit a berth at the port where a Maltese-flagged container vessel was moored.

The ship was preparing to load containerised cargo at the time of the strike. The impact injured one crew member, who was evacuated and provided medical assistance.

Authorities said three containers were damaged in the explosion, leading to an oil leak within the port area.

Emergency response teams deployed boom barriers to prevent further spread of pollution.

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority stated that the strike also caused a fire and damaged several containers carrying oil.

Officials confirmed that measures are under way to protect the port’s waters and limit environmental damage, while assessing the extent of harm to the vessel and surrounding infrastructure.

Kuleba described the incident as a targeted attack on civilian port infrastructure, international trade, and maritime safety, noting that such facilities play a critical role in maintaining export flows, logistics, and food security.

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority has reported a sharp rise in the number of attacks, with 36 incidents recorded in 2024 compared with 96 in 2025. During 2025 alone, 325 port infrastructure facilities were damaged.

Chornomorsk and neighbouring ports have been repeatedly hit in recent weeks.

In late December, Russian strikes damaged oil storage tanks belonging to an industrial enterprise at the ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, causing oil leaks and environmental pollution.

Earlier, on 9 January, a Russian strike killed one seafarer and injured another during attacks on two cargo vessels, one of which was at Chornomorsk.

On 7 January, combined missile and drone strikes on the port complexes of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi killed two people and injured at least five others.

Over the Christmas period, consecutive attacks on Odesa’s port infrastructure damaged administrative buildings, grain elevators, and warehouses, with at least two vessels affected, one of which was left unseaworthy.

On 13 December, a Turkish-owned civilian vessel carrying sunflower oil from Ukraine to Egypt was struck by a Russian drone in the Black Sea, within Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone and beyond the coverage of Ukrainian air defences.

Earlier in December, another civilian vessel belonging to a Turkish company was damaged during missile and drone attacks on Odesa, leaving one person injured.

Separately, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, stated that Russia stole more than two million tonnes of Ukrainian grain from temporarily occupied territories in 2025.

According to Ukrainian officials, the grain was exported to markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, with nearly 40% shipped to Egypt.

Authorities said Russia used ports in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea and operated a so-called shadow grain fleet to facilitate the trade.

Ukrainian intelligence has identified 45 vessels involved in the alleged transportation of the stolen grain, with sanctions imposed on 43 of them and on 39 captains.

References: newsukraine, zmina