Russia strikes Ukrainian Danube port rail hub – MOD

Moscow is intensifying pressure on logistics networks in Odessa Region Russian forces have struck a railway hub at the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Friday, as Russia continues to target logistics networks in Ukraine’s Odessa Region.

According to the ministry, overnight drone strikes hit railway infrastructure in Izmail used for “unloading, storing, and transporting military cargo and fuel supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces.” The Russian military had also targeted infrastructure at the port the previous night, along with a temporary troop deployment site, according to a ministry report issued on Thursday.

A military command post at the port of Reni some 45 km to the west was also struck, Moscow said.

Izmail and Reni, along with the port of Ust-Dunaisk in Vilkovo, are located along the Danube River separating Ukraine’s Odessa Region from Romania.

The facilities have become increasingly important to Ukrainian logistics as access through Black Sea routes has come under growing pressure from Russian attacks.

Ukrainian ports on the Danube River and key bridges in Odessa Region. © RT Moscow has started regularly targeting vessels serving Ukrainian maritime ports, describing the campaign as retaliation for repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian ships in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

Kiev’s attacks were part of what Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky described last month as a 40-day “pressure campaign.” The effort coincided with a diplomatic effort to secure supplies of a significant number of Patriot interceptor missiles, which many observers said was a failure.

READ MORE: Ports in a storm: How Kiev’s warehouse warfare cost Ukraine its coastline In addition to the Danube ports, Russian forces have reportedly struck bridges near Zatoka and Mayaki, which connect the western part of Odessa Region with the rest of Ukraine, further complicating transport and supply routes.

Pressure on Ukraine’s maritime infrastructure has also continued.

In its latest report, the Russian Defense Ministry said two tugboats were hit off Nikolaev.