Russia assaults two Ukrainian ports, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels

[ad_1] Kyiv says Russia used drones and missiles for strikes Three Turkish-owned vessels broken, Ukraine's navy says Moscow vowed retaliation for Kyiv's assaults on tanker fleet Turkey requires power, sea ceasefire Verified video reveals second of drone assault KYIV, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports on Friday, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels together with a ship carrying meals provides, Ukrainian officers and one ship proprietor stated, days after Moscow threatened to chop "Ukraine off from the ocean". Final week, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation towards Kyiv's maritime drone assaults on Moscow's "shadow fleet" tankers thought for use to export oil, which Kyiv says is Russia's principal supply of funding for its virtually four-year-old conflict.

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The assault on Friday got here hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan informed Putin {that a} restricted ceasefire for power services and ports may very well be useful.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted photographs which confirmed a big fireplace burning aboard a ship within the port of Chornomorsk in Odesa area, with firefighters tackling the blaze.

"This proves as soon as once more that Russians not solely fail to take the present alternative for diplomacy significantly sufficient, but additionally proceed the conflict exactly to destroy regular life in Ukraine," he stated.

That vessel's proprietor, Cenk Delivery, stated the Cenk T vessel had been topic to assault round 1600 Ukraine time (1400 GMT).

There have been no casualties among the many crew, and injury was restricted, it added.

Reuters verified the second of the assault seen on a video printed on X. The vessel within the clip matched Cenk T, and the cranes and buildings matched satellite tv for pc imagery of the Chornomorsk port.

Fabian Hinz, analysis fellow for defence and army evaluation on the Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research, stated the weapon seen was a Russian Geran-2 drone in its loitering configuration.

Russia's defence ministry didn't instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.

"The strike is geared toward civilian logistics and business transport," Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba stated.

NAVIGATION SAFETY TARGETED Russia attacked Ukrainian ports with drones and ballistic missiles, Kuleba added.

He stated that one worker of a non-public firm had been injured in a separate assault on Odesa port, and {that a} cargo loader had been broken there.

Ukraine's navy spokesperson informed Reuters that three vessels have been broken in complete, all Turkish-owned. However the spokesperson didn't present extra particulars.

Turkey's overseas ministry confirmed injury within the Chornomorsk port, including that there have been no reviews of injured Turkish residents.

Reuters was in a position to confirm the vessel by the design and identify of the bow that matched file imagery of the Cenk T vessel.

"We reiterate the necessity for an association whereby, with a purpose to forestall escalation within the Black Sea, assaults concentrating on navigational security in addition to the events' power and port infrastructure are suspended," the ministry's assertion stated.

The three giant Black Sea ports within the Odesa area are a key financial artery for Ukraine, which is a significant commodities exporter.

Along with the assaults on Moscow's "shadow fleet" tankers, Ukraine has ramped up stress on Russia by hitting targets within the Caspian Sea this week, together with vessels allegedly carrying army gear and a significant oil rig . Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Max Hunder, Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv and Ece Toksabay in Ankara; Additonal reporting by Monica Naime; Modifying by Alison Williams, Kirsten Donovan, Hugh Lawson and Himani Sarkar