Russia strikes Ukraine grain port after exiting the Black Sea Grain deal

 Russia attacked Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, a day after withdrawing from a United Nations-backed Black Sea Grain deal that allowed Kyiv to export grain, and Moscow claimed ground gains in an area where Ukrainian officials said Russian forces were resuming the onslaught.

Russia said that a series of missile and drone assaults on Ukrainian ports were "mass revenge strikes.” Russia claimed that it was a reprisal for attacks by Ukrainian seaborne drones that destroyed its road bridge to the Crimean Peninsula.

Recently, Russia withdrew from a year-old U.N.-brokered grain export arrangement despite the UN warning of global starvation.

According to Ukraine's southern operational military command, the recent Russian attacks, falling debris, and blast waves destroyed multiple homes and unspecified port equipment in Russia's principal port of Odessa. A significant fire was also reported by local officials in Mykolaiv, a city near the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. 

Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that Russian attacks on ports provide "further proof that the country-terrorist wants to endanger the lives of 400 million people in various countries that depend on Ukrainian food exports.”

According to Ukraine's air force, around 6 Kalibr missiles and 31 drones were shot down. Moscow, for its part, stated it had intercepted a Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea, with no substantial damage on the ground.

Russia's military ministry reported that its soldiers had advanced 2 km near Kupiansk, a railway hub retaken by Ukraine in an attack in 2022. Kyiv also recognized intense fighting in the area and stated that Russia was making a significant advance near Kupiansk.

The Black Sea Grain deal was signed among Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United Nations during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It allowed the safe transportation of grains from Ukrainian ports.

The agreement expired on July 17, 2023.