Freighters are leaving anyway
Kiev: 22 drones shot down over Odessa region
9/3/2023 8:12 am
Since the grain deal expired, the Russians have stepped up their attacks on the Odessa region. During the night they are said to have deployed 25 Shahed drones. According to their own statements, the Ukrainian Air Force can destroy 22 of them.
Ukraine says it has fended off several Russian drone strikes in the Odessa region. 22 Iranian-made Shahed drones were destroyed, the Ukrainian Air Force said on the online service Telegram. In total, Russia used 25 drones in the night attack waves.
Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure in the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions since withdrawing from the grain deal with Ukraine that allowed safe transport routes across the Black Sea. In mid-July, Moscow withdrew from the grain agreement that had allowed Ukraine to transport grain across the Black Sea despite the war.
Ukraine then opened sea lanes to merchant ships from several Black Sea ports in early August, despite Russian threats to target any ship originating from Ukraine or heading to Ukraine in the Black Sea after the grain deal expires. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, two more ships crossed the “temporary grain corridor” in the Black Sea on Saturday.