The announcement mirrored a move made by Russia after the Kremlin withdrew from a key grain export deal facilitating the safe shipment of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea.Īfter Russia invaded last year, its warships blockaded Ukraine's ports until the two sides agreed to the grain export deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. On Thursday Kyiv said it would treat ships in the Black Sea headed for Russian-controlled ports as potential carriers of military cargo. 'I'd told them they should leave and now they have died.' Oleksiy Luganchenko, 72, stood outside a collapsed building in the city, saying the dead couple were his sister and her husband. In Odesa, a man was found 'under the rubble', regional governor Oleg Kiper said, while in Mykolaiv an elderly couple were killed. Russia hit the Ukrainian ports of Mykolaiv and Odesa with drones and missiles in the third consecutive night of 'hellish' strikes, Ukrainian officials said Thursday.Īt least three people died and more than 20 were injured in the strikes, officials said, posting images of buildings in flames and partially collapsed. Moscow's forces still occupy swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine and over a month into Kyiv's long-anticipated counteroffensive, large parts of the front appear to be frozen.Įarlier this week a senior presidential aide in Kyiv told AFP the operation would be 'long and difficult'. 'They're using them appropriately, they're using them effectively and they are actually having an impact on Russia’s defensive formations and Russia’s defensive manoeuvring,' he said. Ukraine's forces started using the munitions 'in the last week or so', White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Thursday.

Operation of the week world of warships