Russia targets Ukraine export routes
Strikes threaten Odessa ports as navy works to protect shipments
Russian forces have stepped up missile and drone strikes aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s export routes, prompting near‑daily patrols and defensive operations by the Ukrainian navy along the Odessa coastline. Naval and port officials report waves of attacks that have damaged multiple civilian vessels, reduced hub capacity by as much as 30% in earlier strikes, and driven up logistics costs and delays for agricultural and ore shipments that are central to Ukraine’s export earnings.
Ukraine’s navy says the maritime corridor off Odessa remains critical—about 90% of the country’s exports still move through its ports—so naval patrols, coastal defence units and air defences are maintaining constant surveillance and protection. Crews use patrol boats, surveillance drones and radar to detect threats, and Kyiv conducts pre‑emptive strikes against approaching drones and missiles to keep the corridor open. Conventional convoys offer limited protection, officials add, and local air defences cannot fully deny the skies.
Since 2022, more than 150 ships have been damaged and several sunk, with casualties among port workers and sailors. Despite that toll, over 7,000 ships have transited the state‑backed maritime corridor under insurance guarantees in the past two and a half years, allowing millions of tonnes of grain and other commodities to reach international markets and averting more severe disruptions to global food supplies.
The sustained defence of sea routes has required ongoing repairs to port infrastructure and adaptive tactics—including naval strikes on Russian coastal and naval targets, extended patrols and use of unmanned systems—to mitigate threats. Analysts say the corridor’s survival demonstrates the strategic importance of maritime security for Ukraine’s economy and for countries reliant on Ukrainian grain, but they warn that the risk of further escalation and continued attacks remains high as Russia persists in targeting ports and shipping.
