KYIV, UKRAINE — Grain silos and warehouses at the Ukrainian port of Reni on the Danube River were damaged by Russian drone strikes on Aug. 16, Reuters reported.
Photos released by the regional governor showed the destroyed metal walls of storage facilities and piles of grain and sunflowers.
Since leaving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russia has targeted Ukrainian grain infrastructure on the Black Sea and the Danube. The initiative had allowed for the safe transport of 33 million tonnes of grain, helping with food security issues made worse by Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The most recent strike targeted the port of Reni. No casualties were reported.
An industry source told Reuters that the port was continuing to operate.
Ukraine’s Danube ports accounted for around a quarter of grain exports before Russia left the grain initiative. The ports are now the main route out. Grain also is being sent on barges to Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanta.
Earlier this month, Russia attacked Izmail, Ukraine’s main inland port across the Danube River from Romania. The drone attacks destroyed buildings in the port and halted ships as they prepared to arrive there to load with Ukrainian grain.