IZMAIL, Ukraine — Russia struck Ukraine’s largest grain-export port on the Danube on Thursday, damaging port infrastructure and disrupting power, Ukrainian authorities said, adding pressure on a shipping network already hit by intensified attacks on Black Sea ports and vessels.
The overnight attack caused a fire at the Izmail port in the southern Odesa region, near the Romanian border, according to the regional administration. Izmail is a key outlet for Ukrainian grain and other commodities, and the damage comes as Kyiv seeks alternatives to Black Sea routes that have become increasingly difficult for commercial shipping.
Ukraine’s grain exports fell about 75% year-on-year in the first two weeks of August, according to data cited by Reuters from the Ukrainian authorities. Around 90% of Ukraine’s grain exports normally move through seaports, making the disruption of maritime routes particularly significant during the peak harvest period.
Ukraine has accused Russia of mounting a campaign against its port infrastructure and commercial shipping. The Ukrainian port administration said Russia had carried out more than 70 attacks on Black Sea port infrastructure and 62 strikes on vessels in July and early August. Russia says its attacks target military infrastructure, logistics and vessels carrying foreign weapons.
The latest strike also highlights growing constraints on alternative routes. Low water levels on the Danube are limiting river shipments, while Kyiv and Moldova are discussing a rail corridor through Moldova to Romania’s port of Constanta. Ukraine has asked Moldova for a lower freight tariff as it seeks to move more grain overland.
Ukraine’s agriculture ministry has lowered its forecast for grain exports in the 2026-27 season to between 38 million and 40 million metric tons, from an earlier estimate of 43 million tons, citing Russian attacks on ports. More than 90% of the country’s grain exports are shipped by sea, according to Reuters.
The disruption has also raised concerns beyond Ukraine. The country supplies about 6% of the world’s wheat and 11% of its corn, while farmers and officials have warned that prolonged export restrictions could leave harvests without adequate storage or markets.
Kyiv has sought a halt to attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. The proposal was transmitted through a third party and Ukraine was awaiting a Russian response. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Moscow had not received a formal proposal.
For now, Ukraine’s main maritime export routes remain under pressure, while authorities pursue rail and river alternatives to keep grain moving during the harvest season.
