Romanian president, prime minister condemn Russian attack on Ukrainian ports on Danube
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis recently condemned the Russian attack on the Ukrainian Danube ports of Izmail and Reni, near the border between Ukraine and Romania. The attack was also condemned by prime minister Marcel Ciolacu.
“I strongly condemn the recent Russian attacks against the Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on the Danube, very close to Romania. This recent escalation poses serious risks to security in the Black Sea. It also affects further UA grain transit & thus the global food security,” Klaus Iohannis said on his official Twitter account.
Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu also condemned the attack. "These actions continue the series of Russian military airstrikes on civilian targets in the Odesa region, intensified after the unilateral decision of the Russian Federation to suspend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. We call on the Russian Federation to cease the aerial attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure. Targeting port infrastructure is further evidence of the Russian Federation's intent to undermine Ukrainian grain exports to global markets, severely impacting global food security and endangering numerous people," he stated, cited by Digi24.
Russian drones targeted and destroyed a grain warehouse on the Danube in the Odesa region of the Black Sea, according to the Ukrainian Operational Command. Images distributed on social media indicate that the attack targeted the Port of Reni, located near Galați.
"Three drones were destroyed by the Air Defense Forces," announced the Operational Command. Six people were injured in the attacks.
The explosions occurred in the early morning hours of Monday, July 24, and were visible from Romania.
This is the first time Russia has targeted Ukrainian infrastructure on the Danube since it withdrew from the Istanbul Agreement of July 2022 regarding Ukrainian grain exports, mediated by the UN and Turkey. According to Ukrainian sources, this attack was not carried out with long-range missiles, as in Odesa and Chornomorsk since July 18, but with Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones.
Russia heavily bombed Odesa in recent days, also targeting port infrastructure. After the expiration of the grain export agreement last week, Ukraine announced that it might use another export route through the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria. Subsequently, the CIA director warned that Russia might be planning a false flag operation, aiming to attack foreign-flagged vessels in the Black Sea, according to Biziday.
The Danube has been the last export route for Ukrainian grain since July 17, after Russia withdrew from the Istanbul Agreement.
(Photo source: Ukraine Battle Map on Twitter)
