The Russia-Ukraine war has entered another dangerous phase after a Russian missile strike on a grain ship near Ukraine's southern port of Odesa killed 10 people, while both sides launched large-scale attacks on major cities and strategic facilities across the Black Sea region.
Ukrainian officials said a Russian missile strike hit the Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship carrying corn near the southern port of Odesa, killing 10 people in what authorities described as the deadliest Black Sea shipping attack in weeks.
According to Ukraine's navy, Russia fired three cruise missiles at the vessel on Sunday, triggering a massive fire. A Reuters witness in Odesa saw smoke rising from a ship off the coast, later confirmed to be the Golden Leo.
Crew members, maritime pilot among victims
Ukraine's Seaports Authority said an overnight search and rescue operation recovered the victims. The attack killed nine crew members and one maritime pilot, while eight of the vessel's 17 crew members were rescued.
The Golden Leo is owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd, according to LSEG data, while Friends Shipping Co SA manages the vessel. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia did not issue any immediate public response regarding the strike.
Black Sea shipping route under renewed threat
The Black Sea became one of the main battlegrounds after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although grain exports resumed under agreements designed to stabilize global food prices, recent weeks have seen renewed attacks on shipping routes.
Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified strikes across the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, targeting infrastructure that generates crucial export revenue.
Ukraine has struck Russian energy facilities, including oil tankers, while Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's deepwater ports and commercial cargo vessels.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces also struck fuel reservoirs at the port of Odesa overnight, according to Interfax.
Grain exports face growing pressure
The renewed violence has heightened concerns about global grain supplies.
Ukraine accounts for approximately 6% of global wheat exports and 11% of global corn exports in recent seasons. Traders and analysts say Russian missile and drone attacks have already reduced Ukraine's Black Sea grain export capacity by about one-third.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes have forced Russia—the world's largest grain exporter—to limit shipping operations in the Sea of Azov, a route responsible for nearly 25% of Russia's grain exports, according to Reuters sources.
Officials also said Russian strikes have killed 28 people in Ukraine's Odesa region so far this month.
One of the biggest missile attacks on Kyiv
The escalation extended beyond the Black Sea as Russia carried out one of its largest ballistic missile assaults on Kyiv overnight.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said at least one person was killed and 16 others injured after Russia launched 41 missiles of various types against the capital.
Powerful explosions echoed across Kyiv as missiles damaged residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a student dormitory across several districts.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three of the injured remained in serious condition.
Russian attacks also struck other parts of Ukraine. Regional officials said a missile attack on a postal depot near Kharkiv killed four people and injured 19 others.
In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, Russian bombs hit residential buildings, killing two people and wounding 14, while rescue teams continued searching for survivors.
Civilians recount horror of missile strikes
Emergency crews spent hours clearing rubble from destroyed buildings across Kyiv.
One resident, identified as Vlad, told Reuters that an explosion ripped off his apartment balcony door, which struck him in the head.
"My grandmother lives with me, and she can't walk. How could I run away and leave her behind?" he said.
Near the city centre, missiles damaged a metro station and destroyed an underground pedestrian passage, leaving large piles of debris.
Ukraine struggles with air defence shortages
Russian forces have increased ballistic missile attacks in recent weeks as Ukraine faces a critical shortage of U.S.-made air defence systems.
Ukraine's military said it intercepted 18 missiles aimed mainly at Kyiv and shot down 108 of 125 drones launched during the overnight assault.
Last week, President Zelenskiy announced that Ukraine and the United States had reached a political agreement allowing licensed production of Patriot interceptor missiles, expressing hope that manufacturing could begin before the end of the year.
Despite that progress, Zelenskiy stressed that Ukraine urgently requires more interceptor missiles.
"Protection against ballistic missiles is our constant and top priority right now. Interceptors are needed every day," he wrote on X.
Despite the destruction, many Kyiv residents continued their daily routines. Workers cleared debris around damaged metro infrastructure while nearby fruit vendors reopened their stalls.
"Kyiv will flourish," said 68-year-old Iryna Lomeyko.
"Those idiots destroy everything, but we'll repair it and build anew. Everything will be alright."
Ukraine launches massive drone assault on Moscow
Ukraine also intensified its attacks deep inside Russian territory.
Russian officials said Ukraine launched 400 drones overnight targeting Moscow and surrounding regions, injuring 10 people and sparking multiple fires.
Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said seven people, including three Chinese nationals, were injured in a drone strike on Domodedovo, near one of Moscow's major airports.
Domodedovo Mayor Yevgeniya Khrustaleva said an industrial park caught fire while a residential building was also damaged.
Logistics facilities and oil depot targeted
President Zelenskiy confirmed that Ukrainian forces targeted logistics facilities and an oil depot in the Moscow region.
In Russia's Belgorod region, officials reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and injured four others near the Ukrainian border.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 400 Ukrainian drones targeted the Moscow region between late Sunday evening and early Monday morning.
Russian air defence systems intercepted most of the drones, including 85 destroyed before reaching the capital, according to officials.
Russia's Defence Ministry later said air defence systems shot down 381 Ukrainian drones across Russian territory, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov overnight.
Wildberries logistics centre temporarily evacuated
Russian online retail giant Wildberries said it temporarily evacuated its logistics centre in Moscow's Podolsk district as a precaution before later resuming normal operations.
The announcement came two days after Ukrainian drone attacks reportedly killed seven Wildberries warehouse workers, injured dozens more, and sparked a fire at an oil depot near Moscow.
Ukraine has accused Wildberries of selling military supplies used in Russia's war effort.
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