Russian drone strikes foreign cargo ship near Ukraine Black Sea port

March 5 (Reuters) – A Russian drone damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel that was transporting corn near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Black Sea Odesa region, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said late on Wednesday.

The vessel was hit while en route out of the port and some of the crew were injured, the ports authority said on the Telegram messaging app, without specifying the extent of the damage to the ship or how many crew members had been hurt.

Ukraine ships about 90% of its exports via the Odesa port hub.

Russia in recent months has been attacking Ukraine’s maritime export arteries, including ports, which are crucial for its foreign trade and the survival of its wartime economy.

The attacks on port infrastructure – causing a jump in logistics and freight costs – have hurt local businesses, forcing them to lower their prices to remain competitive on the global market.

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Sonali Paul)

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