Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Odessa port: Kiev

Ukraine says Russian missiles struck the key Black Sea port of Odessa in an attack that followed another military aid package from the United States to Kiev.

Ukraine's military said two Russian cruise missiles hit the port city in the early hours of Saturday morning.

"The enemy attacked the Odessa sea port with Kalibr cruise missiles," Sergiy Bratchuk, a representative of the Odessa region said in a statement on social media. “Two of the missiles were shot down by air defenses. Two hit port infrastructure.”

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oleg Nikolenko described the missile attack as a "spit in the face" of a deal signed by the warring neighbors a day earlier to resume grain exports blocked by the conflict.

Moscow and Kiev signed separate but identical agreements with the United Nations and Turkey on reopening Black Sea shipment routes. Under the terms of the deal, Moscow agreed not to target ports while grain shipments are in transit.

"The Russian missile (strike) is (Russian President) Vladimir Putin's spit in the face of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep (Tayyip) Erdogan, who made enormous efforts to reach an agreement," said Nikolenko.

He accused Russia of being responsible "for deepening the global food crisis" if the agreement were jeopardized by the assault.

Russia's Defense Ministry is yet to comment on the attack.

Earlier this week, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered generals to prioritize destroying Ukraine's long-range missile and artillery weapons, according to the ministry.

White House spokesman John Kirby said on Friday that Russia has "launched deadly strikes across the country, striking malls, apartment buildings, killing innocent Ukrainian civilians."

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