Strike on the port of Chornomorsk: sailor wounded and oil spill after attack on civilian vessel
15 January 21:46
Russia launched a ballistic missile strike on the port infrastructure of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region. The pier, near which a civilian vessel flying the Maltese flag was moored, came under fire. As a result of the attack, one of the crew members was injured, and an oil leak was also reported.
This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine — Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
What is known about the attack
According to Kuleba, a Russian missile struck the port infrastructure on Thursday. At the time of the strike, a foreign civilian vessel was moored at the pier, preparing to transport container cargo.
“Unfortunately, one crew member was injured. He is now receiving the necessary assistance,” the minister wrote on his Telegram channel.
Damage and environmental risks
Three containers on the ship were damaged as a result of the strike. This led to an oil spill in the port area. To localize the pollution, specialists are installing boom barriers to prevent the substance from spreading further into the sea.
The ports of Greater Odesa remain a regular target of Russian strikes, despite their key role in civil shipping and the export of Ukrainian products.
Oleksiy Kuleba stressed that Ukraine, despite constant shelling, continues to ensure the operation of ports and fulfill its international obligations.
It should be recalled that after Russian strikes on the Odesa region, which damaged warehouses, oil tanks, and vehicles, fears of a possible shortage or sharp rise in sunflower oil prices in Ukraine reappeared in the public sphere. Experts, however, assess the impact of these losses on the domestic market as limited.
Economist Andriy Novak, in a comment to Komersant Ukrainian, stressed that the consequences of the attacks are felt primarily by specific companies that have lost their products.
According to him, the Ukrainian food market, particularly the oil market, is oversaturated, and the loss of even several thousand tons is not critical on a national scale.
Economist Oleg Pendzin, in a comment to Kommersant Ukrainsky, drew attention to the structural indicators of the market.
“Do you know how much oil Ukraine produces per year? Five million tons. And do you know how much the domestic market consumes per year? Five hundred thousand tons. Ninety percent of what we produce is exported. Do you think such conditions could lead to a shortage? Hardly.”
Thus, even damage to infrastructure does not create a risk of oil shortages for Ukrainian consumers.
