DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ An 87-year-old deal is keeping a lid on the naval war in Ukraine — for now
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fighting between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea has picked up in recent months. The fighting is taking a toll on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which Moscow can't reinforce. Russia's Black Sea Fleet hasn't been defeated, but its losses, including the sinking of its flagship, the Moskva, weigh more heavily on Russia's war effort because of a deal signed nearly a century ago that is preventing Moscow from bringing more ships into the Black Sea. The convention distinguishes between Black Sea powers — those with a Black Sea coastline — and non-Black Sea powers. "Initially it was thought that it was a big deal that some of the Russian warships were prevented from entering the Black Sea.

Persons: —, Russia —, hasn't, Sergey Ponomarev, US Navy Arleigh Burke, OZAN KOSE, Ben Wallace, Stringer, Turkey's, Volodymyr Dubovyk, Dubovyk, Sabina Joja, Joja, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Montreux Convention, NATO, Service, Fleet, Sea Fleet, AP, US Navy, Getty, Russian, REUTERS, Mechnikov National University, Middle East Institute, Washington DC, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn, Twitter Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Montreux, Crimea, Moskva, Sevastopol, Rostov, AFP, Turkey, Baltic, Northern, Odessa's, Ukrainian, Turkish, Romanian, Iulia, Washington, Izmail, Ankara, NATO

☆ Russian strikes on Ukraine kill boy in Kharkiv, damage port infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Rescuers work at a site of a residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine October 6, 2023. A drone attack damaged a grain silo in the Izmail district of the Odesa region, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. In the latest strikes, Ukrainian air defences shot down 25 of 33 drones launched by Russia from the annexed Crimea peninsular, the air force said in a statement. In a separate strike on the city of Kharkiv, 16 people were wounded in addition to the 10-year boy who was killed, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said. The Ukrainian military said that operations at an international ferry checkpoint 'Orlivka' were suspended and vehicles were rerouted following the drone attacks.

Persons: Vitalii, Oleh Kiper, Oleh Synehubov, Moscow, Kiper, Olena Harmash, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Odesa, Izmail, Ukrainian, Crimea, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Moscow

☆ Romania bolsters defences to stop Ukraine war crossing NATO threshold
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Luiza Ilie | Thomson Reuters | Bucharest-Based General News Reporter Covering A Wide Range Of Romanian Topics Elections | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A view shows a building of Ukraine's Black Sea Danube shipping company destroyed during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Izmail, Odesa region, Ukraine August 2, 2023. In November last year, a missile hit southern Poland killing two people and prompting a brief security scare, although it was later determined that Ukrainian air defences were to blame. Among the targets were the Ukrainian ports of Izmail and Reni, both of which lie across the Danube from Romanian soil. "They (Russian drones) fly at very low altitudes, sometimes less than 200 metres (above ground) ... they are built in such a way that least reflects radar waves," he said. In July, when the Danube bombing campaign began in earnest, Russians had more targeted success because Ukraine had not set up extensive air defence systems in the area.

Persons: Nina Liashenko, Reni, Tudor Cernega, Jens Stoltenberg, Constantin Spinu, Cernega, Andrew Gray, Mike Collett, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, NATO, Local, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Izmail, Odesa, Romania, Moscow, BUCHAREST, Poland, Ukrainian, Russia, Romanian, Plauru, Ceatalchioi, U.S, ROMANIA, Kyiv, Brussels

☆ Russia hits Ukrainian port and grain facilities in air strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Firefighters work near damaged trucks following a Russian strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at a location given as Odesa region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released September 26, 2023. Odesa Regional Military Administration/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Russia carries out new air strikes in UkraineUkraine says grain and port facilities struckSuch attacks have increased since Moscow quit grain dealKYIV, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Russia hit Ukrainian port infrastructure and grain storage facilities in an overnight drone strike on the grain exporting district of Izmail, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday. The two-hour attack was the latest strike on Ukrainian grain and port facilities since July, when Russia quit a grain deal that had ensured safe Ukrainian shipments via the Black Sea to help combat a global food crisis. The military said 26 of the 38 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia at Ukraine overnight had been shot down. OTHERS REGIONS ATTACKEDIt said that in addition to the Odesa region, the Mykolaiv region, Kherson and Kirovohrad regions had also come under fire.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Reni, Anna Pruchnicka, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry, Timothy Heriatge Organizations: Firefighters, Odesa, Administration, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Ukraine Ukraine, Moscow, KYIV, Russia, Izmail, Ukraine's, Romania, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kryvyi, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Crimea, Russia's Kursk, Kursk, Melbourne

Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Vice-Admiral Viktor Sokolov during a send-off ceremony in Sevastopol, Crimea on September 27, 2022. Ukraine has increasingly been hitting strategic Russian targets in Crimea, the Black Sea region of southern Ukraine that has been occupied by Moscow since 2014. Russian forces employed Iranian-made drones, hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles and a submarine in the assault, Ukraine’s defense forces said. A damaged building is seen following a Russian military attack in Odesa, Ukraine, in this image released on September 25. Over the past day, Russian forces launched 87 attacks on the Kherson region, Prokudin said, hitting residential areas, medical buildings, educational institutions, and critical infrastructure.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Dmytro Pletenchuk, Pletenchuk, Vladimir Putin “, Pletenchuk’s, Viktor Sokolov, Alexey Pavlishak, Andrii Yusov, Matthew A, Foster, US Army National Guard Abrams, Sergei Lavrov, Zelensky, “, Abrams, Charlie Dietz, Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Dmitry Peskov, Oleksandr Prokudin, Prokudin Organizations: CNN, Abrams, Ukrainian Navy, Russian Navy, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, Navy, Special Operations Forces, Sea Fleet, Reuters CNN, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, US Army National Guard, US Abrams, Pentagon, General’s, Reuters, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Russian, Sevastopol, Ukrainian, Crimea, Moscow, Ukrainian Crimea, Piskie, Poland, United States, Germany, Odesa, Izmail district, Iranian, Kherson –, Beryslav, Kherson

☆ Romania says possible drone fragments found on its territory
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 13 (Reuters) - Elements of a possible drone were identified on NATO-member Romania's territory, the defence ministry said on Wednesday, following Russian drone attacks on Izmail in southern Ukraine, just across the border. If confirmed, it would be the third time that such fragments have been found on Romanian territory in recent days. "The crew of an IAR 330 Puma helicopter of the Romanian Air Force ... (identified) fragments that could have come from a drone, dispersed over an area of several dozen metres," the defence ministry said in a statement. It said that the fragments were seen in the area of the towns of Nufarul and Victoria, in Tulcea county. Earlier, the defence ministry had said emergency services had received calls about possible cases of drones coming down in the area.

Persons: Alan Charlish, Kevin Liffey Organizations: NATO, Puma, Romanian Air Force, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Romanian, , Nufarul, Victoria, Tulcea county, Warsaw

☆ Romania finds new suspected Russian drone fragments on its territory
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I firmly condemn this incident caused by Russian attacks on Ukrainian Danube river ports." The attacks on Ukraine's river ports, just hundreds of metres from the Romanian border, have increased security risks for NATO whose members have a mutual defence commitment. The defence ministry said Romania's Naval Forces deployed search teams after local authorities alerted them to suspected drone fragments discovered 2.5 km southeast of the village of Plauru, across the Danube from the Ukrainian port of Izmail. Since July, when Moscow abandoned a deal that lifted a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports, it has repeatedly struck Ukrainian river ports that lie across the Danube from Romania. Ukraine had said on Monday that drones detonated in Romania during an overnight Russian air strike on Ukraine's Izmail, but Romanian officials initially denied the reports before finding fragments on Wednesday.

Persons: Klaus Iohannis, Iohannis, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Ukraine's, Luiza Ilie, Philip Blenkinsop, Ros Russell Organizations: NATO, U.S . State Department, Romania's Naval Forces, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Romania, Ukraine, NATO, Romanian, Russian, Russia, Plauru, Izmail, Moscow, Ukraine's, Constanta, Brussels

☆ Russian Missile Strike in Ukraine Kills 1: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Mr. Blinken “affirmed our unwavering support to Romania, our NATO ally,” according to a State Department summary of the call. American military officials did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. Russian drones have struck the port city repeatedly in recent weeks as Moscow targets what has been a shipping lifeline for Ukraine. Throughout the war, NATO aircraft have frequently intercepted Russian fighter jets that have flown too close to allied nations’ airspace. Three weeks ago, British and Danish fighter jets were scrambled to confront Russian bombers that officials said were heading toward Scotland and the Netherlands.

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Luminita, Blinken “, ”, Klaus Iohannis, Andrew Higgins Organizations: NATO, Department Locations: Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, Russian, Romania, Kyiv, United, Bucharest, Eastern Europe, Izmail, Moscow, Danish, Scotland, Netherlands

Moscow aims to disrupt Ukraine's ability to export grain to world markets with a sustained campaign of attacks targeting Ukrainian Danube ports, and has attacked the port of Izmail four times this week, Ukrainian officials say. Across from Izmail, pieces apparently from a drone were found near the Romanian village of Plauru, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said Wednesday. “In the first phase (of the war) things were calmer, but now it has come to our territory,” she said. “We are worried because nobody can guarantee that (a drone) won’t fall on our side of the river,” he said. Beyond trying to calm us down, the authorities can’t do much about it.”___Stephen McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania.

Persons: Angel Tilvar, Tilvar, Daniela Tanase, “, Klaus Iohannis, Iohannis, Mircea Franc, he’s, ”, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, ” ___ Stephen McGrath, Lorne Cook Organizations: Romanian, European Union, Associated Press, Romania's Defense Ministry, EU, NATO Locations: BUCHAREST, Romania, Ukraine, Russian, NATO, Moscow, Izmail, Romanian, Plauru, European, Bucharest, Chilia Veche, Ukraine's, Danube Delta, Russia, ”, Sighisoara, Brussels

☆ Drone strikes on Ukraine's Izmail damage port, grain silo - governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian firefighters work at a site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released on September 6, 2023. State Emergency Service Of Ukraine /Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - Russian drone strikes have damaged port infrastructure, a grain silo and administrative buildings in the Izmail district of Ukraine's Odesa region, its governor, Oleh Kiper, said on Thursday. Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's grain export infrastructure amid talks on resumption of a Black Sea grain deal to allow unhindered exports of grain from Ukrainian ports. Most were aimed at the Odesa region but some also targeted the northern area of Sumy, it added. Russia quit the grain deal in July, a year after it was brokered by the U.N. and Turkey, saying its own food and fertiliser exports faced obstacles and insufficient Ukrainian grain was going to countries in need.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Clarence Fernandez, Kim Coghill Organizations: Emergency, Ukraine, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa region, Handout, Izmail, Ukraine's Odesa, Russia, Sumy, Turkey

REUTERS/Andreea Campeanu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Parts of what could be a Russian drone fell on Romanian territory, Romania's Defence Minister Angel Tilvar said on Wednesday, two days after Ukraine said Russian drones had detonated on the NATO member's land. Romanian officials had earlier denied reports of drones falling on Romanian territory and said Russian attacks in neighbouring Ukraine did not cause a direct threat. On Wednesday, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said confirmation of the discovered parts belonging to a Russian drone would be a serious violation. "If it is confirmed that the components (found) belong to a Russian drone, such a situation would be inadmissible and a serious violation of Romania's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Tilvar reiterated there was no direct threat and told Agerpres it was possible the drone did not explode upon impact but rather it simply fell or pieces landed on Romanian territory.

Persons: Andreea, Angel Tilvar, Klaus Iohannis, Tilvar, Iohannis, Agerpres, Alan Charlish, Luiza Ilie, Jason Hovet, Alexandra Hudson, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Romania's, NATO, CNN, Wednesday, Three Seas Initiative, Thomson Locations: Izmail, Plauru, Romania, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukraine's, Bucharest, Romania's, Poland, Ukrainian

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Ukraine’s capital Wednesday where he was expected to announce more than $1 billion in new American funding in a display of Washington’s unflagging support for Kyiv’s fight. Blinken arrived in Kyiv for an overnight visit hours after Russia launched a missile attack on the city. On the train journey to Kyiv, Blinken met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, also on an official visit, to discuss the war. After arriving in Kyiv, Blinken laid a wreath at the city's Berkovetske cemetery to commemorate members of the Ukrainian armed forces who lost their lives defending the country. Blinken’s visit comes after some of Ukraine’s allies have privately expressed concern that Ukrainian troops may fail to reach their objectives.

Persons: State Anthony Blinken, Blinken, ” Blinken, “ We’re, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mette Frederiksen, Matthew Miller, Rustem Umerov, Serhii Popko Organizations: —, State, State Department, Kremlin, Russia, Danish, Washington, Initiative, U.S . State Department Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Ukraine’s, London, Russia, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Odesa, Crimean Tatar, Russian, Polish, U.S, russia, ukraine

☆ Suspected Russian drone debris is found in Romania.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Andrew Higgins | More About Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Romania said on Wednesday that debris from what could be a Russian drone had landed on its territory across the Danube River from Ukraine and said that if the wreckage turned out to be Russian, it would be “a serious violation” of a NATO member’s sovereignty. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian grain ports in the Danube delta, including Izmail, which lies less than 200 yards from Romanian territory and was blasted again by Russian drones on Tuesday. If confirmed, the presence of Russian drone wreckage inside Romania “would be completely unacceptable and a serious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Romania, a NATO allied state,” the country’s president, Klaus Iohannis, said on his Facebook page. As a member of NATO, Romania is covered by the U.S.-led alliance’s commitment to collective security, which obliges all members to come to the defense of any state that requests assistance in the event of an attack. But Romania has avoided any hint that it might invoke Article 5, the cornerstone of the joint defense pact, over the debris found on Tuesday.

Persons: Klaus Iohannis Organizations: NATO Locations: Romania, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Romanian, Plauru, U.S

[1/3] The port of Izmail seen from Plauru, Romania, September 5, 2023. The attack rattled windows in the Romanian border village of Plauru across the river and Popescu's trailer shook. Romania strongly denied it had been hit, but the attacks on Ukraine’s river ports, just hundreds of metres from the Romanian border, have increased security risks for NATO which has a collective defence commitment. "We have total control over our national space..."But, yes, we are concerned, because these attacks are taking place very close to the Romanian border. Since then, Russia has attacked Ukraine’s river ports Izmail and Reni repeatedly.

Persons: Andreea, beekeeper Gabi Popescu, Popescu, Klaus Iohannis, Reni, Daniela Tanase, Andreea Campeanu, Luiza Ilie, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, NATO, United, Thomson Locations: Plauru, Romania, Romanian, Ukrainian, Izmail, Ukraine, Russian, Poland, Russia, United Nations, Turkey

☆ Russia strikes Ukraine grain port ahead of Putin-Erdogan talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Russia launched an overnight air attack on one of Ukraine's major grain exporting ports, Ukrainian officials said, hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, were due to hold talks. Ukraine's air force urged residents of Izmail port, one of Ukraine's two major grain-exporting ports on the Danube River in the Odesa region, to seek shelter after midnight on Monday. Putin and Erdogan were to meet on Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi as Ankara and the United Nations seek to revive a Ukraine grain export deal that helped ease a global food crisis. After quitting the Black Sea grain deal, Moscow has launched frequent attacks on the ports of the Danube River, which has since become Ukraine's major route for exporting grain. Monday's attack - the scale of which was not immediately known - followed Russia's strikes on Sunday on the other major Danube port of Reni, in which the port's infrastructure was damaged and at least two people injured.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Putin, Erdogan, Lidia Kelly, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Turkish, United Nations, United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Izmail, Odesa, Ukraine, Russian, Sochi, Ankara, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Reni, Melbourne

☆ With grain deal in focus, Putin to meet Erdogan in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The current status (of the grain deal) will be discussed at the summit on Monday. Putin has said Russia could return to the grain deal if the West fulfils a separate memorandum agreed with the United Nations at the same time to facilitate Russian food and fertiliser exports. Ahead of the Erdogan talks, Ukrainian officials said Russia launched an overnight air attack on one of Ukraine's major grain exporting ports. In its report on the Erdogan meeting, Russian state television said promises made to Russia must be implemented. For Russia, Erdogan is a key broker - and one respected personally by Putin.

Persons: Mehmet Bey, Mehmet Emin Calsikan, Erdogan, Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Russia, Dmitry Peskov, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Kilic, Russia's, António Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Maria Zakharova, Guy Faulconbridge, Lidia Kelly, Michelle Nichols, Robert Birsel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, UN, Kremlin, United, Haber, United Nations, Russian, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Yenikapi, Istanbul, Turkey, Sochi Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine MOSCOW, Russia's Black, Sochi, United Nations, Moscow, Izmail, Ukraine's Odesa, EU, Russian, Melbourne, Ankara

Moscow has conducted long-range air strikes on targets in Ukraine since the start of its invasion last year. The Romanian Defence Ministry said Romania was not hit. "The ministry of defence categorically denies information from the public space regarding a so-called overnight situation during which Russian drones would have fallen in Romania's national territory," it said. "We heard the drones, the booms and the air defence systems across the river," she told Reuters by telephone. Ukraine has reported suspected Russian weapons flying over or crashing into neighbours, including NATO members, several times during the war.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Daniela Tanase, Oksana Savchuk, Erdogan, Putin, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Pavel Polityuk, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, Luiza Ilie, Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff Organizations: Russia, NATO, Reuters, Facebook, Romanian Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Romania, Bucharest, KYIV, BUCHAREST, Moscow, Ukraine's, Izmail, Romanian, Plauru, Russia, Poland, Ukrainian, Russia's Black, Sochi, Turkey, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Ukraine dismisses defense minister as its armed forces break through Russian defensive line
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sea secerity motorboat is seen at Izmail river port on Danube river, in Odesa region, Ukraine, July 21, 2022. Ukraine said on Monday Russian drones fell and detonated on the territory of NATO member Romania during an overnight attack on Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River, but Bucharest categorically denied the report. Reuters could not independently verify either account of what could represent a dramatic turn in Russia's 18-month-old war in Ukraine. The Romanian Defence Ministry issued a statement in which it said it "categorically" denied the Ukrainian assertion. A Ukrainian industry source told Reuters that two Russian drones had fallen on the Romanian side.

Persons: Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, — Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Facebook, Romanian Defence Ministry Locations: Odesa region, Ukraine, Romania, Bucharest, Moscow, Ukraine's, Izmail, Ukrainian, Odesa, Romanian, Russia

☆ Russia attacks grain facilities in Ukraine's Danube region - military
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The enemy hit grain storage facilities and a production and transhipment complex in the Danube region. Firefighters continue to work," the Ukrainian military said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. The damage includes grain storage facilities," Kiper said on Telegram. The Danube ports accounted for around a quarter of Ukrainian grain exports before Russia pulled out of the deal to provide safe passage for the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea in July. Global grain prices rose earlier this month, when Russia attacked Izmail - Ukraine's main inland port across the Danube River from Romania, and the port of Reni.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Moscow, Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Reni, Izmail, Pavel Polityuk, Himani Sarkar, Simon Cameron, Moore, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Firefighters, Russia, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Romanian, Constanta, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Romania, Reni

☆ Russia hits grain facilities at Ukrainian Danube River port
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Odesa Authorities/via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Ukraine says Russia carried out drone attacks overnightRussia quit Black Sea grain export deal in JulyGrain facilities hit at Danube River port of IzmailKYIV, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Russian drones struck Ukrainian grain facilities at the Danube River port of Izmail overnight in what a senior official said on Wednesday was a systematic attempt by Moscow to prevent Kyiv exporting grain to the world. Grain facilities in the Odesa region on the Black Sea also came under fire in the eighth wave of attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure since Russia quit a U.N.-brokered deal last month that had allowed Kyiv to ship its grain via the Black Sea. He said the grain that was destroyed had been destined for Egypt and Romania, and that a total of 270,000 tons of grain had now been destroyed in attacks since Russia quit the Black Sea grain deal. Russia did not immediately comment on the attacks, but blames Ukraine and its Western allies for the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal. Ukraine's Danube ports accounted for around a quarter of Ukrainian grain exports before Russia pulled out of the deal to provide safe passage for the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea in July.

Persons: Oleksandr Kubrakov, Kubrakov, Oleh Kiper, Kiper, Reni, Izmail, Anna Pruchnicka, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Organizations: Odesa, REUTERS Acquire, Russia, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Black, Izmail KYIV, Russian, Moscow, Odesa, Kyiv, Romania, Izmail, Egypt

☆ Warehouses, grain silos damaged in Russian attacks on Ukraine's Danube port
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A grain warehouse heavily damaged by a Russian drone attack is seen at a compound of a port on the Danube, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine August 16, 2023. "Russian terrorists attacked Odesa region twice last night with attack drones," Governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app. "The main target is port and grain infrastructure in the south of the region." Ukraine's Air Force said that it had destroyed 13 Russia-launched drones over the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in the south. read moreThe drone attacks destroyed buildings in the port and halted ships as they prepared to arrive there to load with Ukrainian grain in defiance of a de-facto blockade Russia reimposed in mid-July.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Izmail, Pavel Polityuk, Lidia Kelly, Stephen Coates Organizations: Press Service, Operational Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Ukraine's Air Force, Russia reimposed, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa region, Odesa, Russia, Mykolaiv, Constanta, Romania

☆ Ukraine reports new attack on grain silos but cargo ship sets sail
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/2] Hong Kong-flagged container ship Joseph Schulte leaves the sea port, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released August 16, 2023. Russia has made regular air strikes on Ukrainian ports and grain silos since mid-July, when it pulled out of the U.N.-backed deal for Ukraine to export grain. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), which owns the ship jointly with a Chinese bank, confirmed that the ship was en route to Istanbul. Kubrakov said it was carrying more than 30,000 metric tons of cargo in 2,114 containers, adding that the corridor would primarily be used to evacuate ships from the Black Sea ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi. DANUBE PORTSUkraine turned to its Danube river ports after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal seeking better terms for exports of its own food and fertilizer.

Persons: Joseph Schulte, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Kubrakov, Urozhaine, Hanna Maliar, Izmail, Lidia Kelly, Gus Trompiz, Matthias Inverardi, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Philippa Fletcher, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS Acquire, Benchmark, United Nations, Reuters, United Nations Conference, Trade, Development, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Ukraine, Odesa, Russia, KYIV, Russian, Hong, Kong, Reni, Moscow, Big, Istanbul, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi, Ukrainian, Urozhaine, Azov, Constanta, Romania, Black, Turkey, Nairobi

MOSCOW, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Russia on Tuesday released video footage showing an armed naval inspection unit boarding a cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea on Sunday and questioning the captain about why the ship had not stopped when demanded to by a Russian warship. "Stop machine, stop machine," one of the armed Russians says as crew members put their hands on their heads and kneel before the Russian weapons. I am Russian naval officer - please don't shoot my group on video." The Russian officer then questions the captain through a crew translator about why the ship did not stop when asked to. "Thank you, you good day sir," the Russian officer says as he leaves.

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge, Robert Birsel Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Black, Russian, Palau, Turkey, Ukraine, Izmail

☆ New video shows Russian forces raiding a cargo ship in the Black Sea, shouting 'stop machine' as they stormed the bridge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russian forces looking for military supplies raided a Ukraine-bound cargo ship in the Black Sea. The video shows a Russian inspecting blurred-out documents and ends with someone from the inspection team thanking the ship's crew. Tensions in the Black Sea have been especially high since Russia spiked the grain deal, a decision that was met with harsh criticism from the West. In the midst of these challenges, Ukraine has made increasing use of sea drones to attack important Russian targets operating in the Black Sea. The recent raid, however, is a notable move for Russia's Black Sea Fleet, one which raises the risk to commercial vessels transiting the region.

Persons: Russia's, —, We're, Vedant Patel Organizations: Service, Telegram, Fleet, Strategic Communication, US, Department Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Palau, Izmail, Russia, West, Romania

☆ Ships backed up in Black Sea lanes as Russia warning shots raise tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Jonathan Saul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Merchant ships remained backed up in lanes around the Black Sea on Monday as ports struggled to clear backlogs amid growing unease among insurers and shipping companies a day after a Russian warship fired warning shots at a cargo vessel. After an inspection, the vessel continued its journey towards the Ukrainian port of Izmail along the Danube river, Russia said. Palau-flagged vessel Sukru Okan transits Bosphorus on its way to the Black Sea in Istanbul, Turkey August 13, 2023 this screen grab from a video. Romania on Monday said that it aimed to double the monthly transit capacity of Ukrainian grain to Constanta to 4 million tonnes in the coming months. Sunday's incident cast a pall over plans announced by Ukraine last week for a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea to release cargo ships trapped in Ukraine's ports since the outbreak of war.

Persons: Vasily Bykov, Kviv, Izmail, Gard, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Joseph Schulte, BSM, Jonathan Saul, Conor Humphries Organizations: Merchant, Insurance, REUTERS, UN, Group, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Russia, Palau, Izmail, Musura, Romanian, Constanta, Istanbul, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Norwegian, Odesa

Search resuls for: "Izmail"

25 mentions found