Russian forces kill several in Ukraine and strike Odesa port, Zelenskyy warns food security risk

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow’s intensified strikes on the Ukrainian port of Odesa are jeopardizing global food security, citing the city’s role as a critical gateway for grain shipments destined for markets worldwide. In a statement delivered from a command center in Kyiv, Zelenskyy highlighted that repeated shelling and missile attacks have disrupted loading operations at the port, delayed vessel departures and threatened the safety of maritime routes that convey millions of tonnes of wheat, corn and barley each year.

The Ukrainian leader’s remarks come as the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization have repeatedly warned that the conflict’s impact on export capacity could exacerbate price volatility and shortages in regions already vulnerable to hunger. Officials from the Odesa Sea Trade Port reported that recent attacks have damaged infrastructure, forced temporary closures of berths and limited the ability of grain‑exporting companies to meet contractual obligations. Zelenskyy called on the international community to hold Russia accountable for actions that, in his view, undermine the stability of the global food supply chain and to support measures that protect the safe passage of agricultural cargo from Ukrainian ports.