KYIV, UKRAINE — Grain infrastructure near the Danube River was damaged by a Russian drone attack overnight, Reuters reported, citing the Odesa regional governor.

Oleh Kiper said that for several hours drones attacked the Izmail port district, which has been key to exporting Ukrainian grain in recent months. While most of the drones were shot down, some got through, damaging a storage building, an elevator and trucks while also killing a driver.

Ukraine’s Danube ports have become an important outlet for the country’s huge grain exports following Russia’s invasion and subsequent blockade of the Black Sea since invading its neighbor in February 2022.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, had allowed for the safe export of grain, but Russia exited the agreement in July and began hitting Danube port infrastructure with waves of drone attacks in August and September. The latest overnight attack was the first since Nov. 21.

Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil. Ukraine’s grain exports are continuing to fall significantly behind the pace a year ago, with 13.4 million tonnes exported so far, compared to 18.3 million tonnes last year, according to data from the agriculture ministry.