Russian drone strike hits shipping infrastructure in Ukraine, injuring 2

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Two people were injured overnight Sunday in a Russian drone strike on shipping infrastructure near Ukraine's Black Sea port in the Odesa Region.

Russia launched 25 drones and 22 were taken down by Ukraine's air defenses, the country's Air Force reported.

But in Odesa, "unfortunately, there is a hit in the port infrastructure, as a result of which a fire broke out, which the firefighters promptly extinguished," Serhii Bratchuk, head of the public council at the Odesa Regional Military Administration said on Telegram. "It is known in advance about 2 injured civilians. They were given medical assistance."

Civil industrial infrastructure was struck in the Danube Region, Ukraine's office of the prosecutor general said on social media post. It has opened an investigation into the attack as a potential war crime. A survey of the damage is ongoing.

Luminita Odobescu, foreign minister of neighboring Romania, condemned the attack Sunday, calling it "barbaric."

"Another RU barbaric attack against civilian targets in [Ukraine], including port of #Reni on the #Danube. [Romania] and the int'l community will bring to justice those responsible for these war crimes. will continue to #StandWithUkraine. @DmytroKuleba," she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Russia's targeted attacks of grain infrastructure have intensified since the dissolution of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July. Last month, Russian drone strikes targeted another main grain port along the Danube River near the border of Romania.

The end of the deal has sparked international concern over food supply, particularly for African countries already dealing with a food crisis. The British Red Cross reported in July that more than 140 million people across Africa are experiencing extreme hunger, citing the war in Ukraine as one of the factors worsening the crisis.