Russia targets Ukraine's farm storage sites after days of hitting Black Sea port facilities
Both Russia and Ukraine have announced they will treat ships traveling to each other's Black Sea ports as potential military targets
Russia followed its withdrawal from a grain export deal by expanding its attacks from port infrastructure to farm storage buildings in Ukraine's Odesa region Friday, while also practicing a Black Sea blockade.
Other Russian missiles damaged what officials described only as an important infrastructure facility southwest of the port city of Odesa, in what appeared to be an effort to cripple Ukraine's food exports.
Attacks in recent days have put Odesa in Russia's crosshairs after Moscow abandoned a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port.
In the attack on the storage site, two low-flying cruise missiles started a blaze, then another struck during firefighting efforts, regional Gov.
Russia targeted Ukrainian critical grain export infrastructure after vowing to retaliate for what it said was a Ukrainian attack that damaged a crucial bridge between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Both Russia and Ukraine have announced they will treat ships traveling to each other's Black Sea ports as potential military targets.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin clarified the Defense Ministry's announcement earlier this week that Moscow has declared wide areas in the Black Sea dangerous for shipping.
The ministry said it would consider incoming vessels as laden with weapons and treat the country of its flag a participant in the conflict on the Ukrainian side.
Vershinin said the Russian navy will inspect the vessels to make sure they aren't carrying military cargo before taking any other action.
In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Western countries should address Russia's demands to restore the Black Sea grain corrido has some expectations. If these are overcome, Russia is in favor of the active work of this grain corridor, said Erdogan, who helped negotiate the deal. We know that (Putin) has some expectations from Western countries. Western countries need to take action on this issue.
He reiterated he would talk to Putin by phone and hoped to meet him in Turkey next month.
In comments reported by state-run news agency Anadolu and other media, Erdogan warned that the end of the grain initiative would raise global food prices, increase famine and unleash new waves of migration.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with Erdogan by phone Friday, and they coordinated efforts to restore the operation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Unlocking the grain corridor is an absolute priority, Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the navy conducted drills that simulated action to seal off a section of the Black Sea. In the maneuvers, a missile boat fired anti-ship cruise missiles at a mock target.
