Overview of the Odessa Port Strikes and International Reactions
The reported strike on the port of Odessa targeted a Ukrainian Navy warship and a depot housing Harpoon missiles. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that in the port’s shipyard area, high-precision long-range sea missiles destroyed the docked warship and a Harpoon missile storage facility supplied by the United States to Kyiv. This claim frames the event as a decisive action against Ukrainian military infrastructure.
According to statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, Russian forces attacked a military boat moored in the Odessa port. The spokesperson described the Kalibr missiles as having destroyed critical port infrastructure and delivering a precise strike on a Ukrainian military vessel, presenting the attack as a strategic move aligned with Moscow’s military objectives. These remarks were disseminated via Telegram and other official channels.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by confirming that Russian forces opened fire on Odessa on the eve of a video address. He characterized the missiles as undoing any prospect for dialogue or negotiation with Russia, describing the assault as a demonstration of aggressive action that forecloses diplomatic avenues. Zelensky labeled the events as open Russian barbarism in the context of the broader conflict.
On July 23, Reuters reported, citing Ukrainian Armed Forces sources, that two Kalibr missiles struck port infrastructure in Odessa while two additional missiles were intercepted by air defenses. The report highlighted the ongoing military exchanges connected to the port facilities used for critical export operations.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned the attack, stating that Washington strongly opposed Russia’s strike on the Ukrainian port of Odessa. He noted that the attack occurred just one day after an agreement intended to restart the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, arguing that Moscow violated its commitments by targeting the port where grain and related goods would move.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar relayed assurances from Moscow that Russian authorities had no involvement in the assault, stating that Turkish officials were reassured by Russian representatives in discussions.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack and emphasized the need to uphold the terms of the grain agreement signed in Istanbul, which designates Odessa among the ports from which Ukrainian grain and other foodstuffs are to be exported. The UN reiterated that compliance with this agreement remains essential to global food security.
Natalia Gumenyuk, head of the press center for the Southern Ukrainian defense forces, indicated that two of the four missiles struck port infrastructure while the granary area sustained no damage. This detail underscored distinctions in the impact across different port facilities during the strike.
Earlier, on July 22, Ukraine and Turkey finalized a bilateral agreement with the United Nations to facilitate the export of grain, other food products, and fertilizers from blocked Ukrainian ports, including Odessa, Chornomorsk, and Yuzhny. A parallel mirror agreement involving Turkey, the UN, and Russia was intended to ease restrictions on Russia’s food and fertilizer exports. Notably, no separate agreement between Russia and Ukraine was reached as part of this process.
Note to readers: All statements regarding operational details originate from official government or institutional communications. The situation remains fluid as regional authorities and international bodies monitor developments and coordinate humanitarian and logistical responses.