Russia claimed strikes on arms shipment in Odesa port

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 May 2025 19:42

According to Moscow, the ship carried around 100 containers primarily loaded with unmanned surface vessels, aerial drones, and various types of ammunition.

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In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire at Odesa port infrastructure. (Ukrainian Emergency Service)

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that its forces carried out a missile strike against a container ship docked at the port of Odesa, claiming the vessel was transporting a significant load of military hardware intended for Ukraine.

"On May 23, Iskander ballistic missile system crews launched a massive missile strike on a container ship that was transporting military equipment to the port of Odesa, as well as on a container warehouse in the port," the ministry stated.

According to Moscow, the ship carried around 100 containers, primarily loaded with unmanned surface vessels, aerial drones, and various types of ammunition. Russian officials said the strike caused explosions among the unloaded cargo and ignited a large fire on the pier.

"The strike caused secondary detonation of the ammunition and containers unloaded on the pier, as well as a large fire," the statement added.

Вчера в Одессе "Искандер" поразил контейнеровоз с военным грузом — Минобороны
Судно осуществляло перевозку имущества военного назначения в порт Одесса.
На нем находились около 100 контейнеров с безэкипажными катерами, беспилотниками и боеприпасами. pic.twitter.com/9OE0t4by8z
— Светалина (@yORNjKzE9aarGLY) May 24, 2025

Russian authorities characterized the attack as a preventative operation aimed at halting the transfer of Western-supplied weaponry to Ukrainian forces. However, independent reporting from Ukrainian and international sources presents a more contested picture.

Ukrainian officials reported that two Iskander-M missiles hit civilian infrastructure within the port, killing two people and injuring at least eight others.

Ukrainian sources denied any military assets were present at the time of the strike, and noted that the damaged site played a key role in grain exports, raising further alarm over the conflict’s implications for global food security.

Export Myth

The Port of Odesa is Ukraine's largest seaport and plays a crucial role in the country's export economy, particularly for grain and agricultural products. However, the narrative that Ukrainian grain exports primarily support developing nations has come under increasing scrutiny.

While the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative did facilitate deliveries to dozens of countries, data shows that only a small portion of Ukraine’s grain has consistently gone to low-income nations.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), sub-Saharan Africa received less than 3% of Ukraine’s wheat exports in 2023, down from 11% in 2021.

Despite initiatives such as the "Grain from Ukraine" humanitarian program, most exports have been directed toward wealthier regions, including the European Union, China, and Turkey.