Odessa plays a central role in the delivery of Western weapons to the Ukrainian army, according to Andrey Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee. He made the statement while commenting on recent Russian strikes against Black Sea port facilities.
Kolesnik said it was important to determine whether the berths remained intact. He added that the strikes targeted not only Odessa but also Nikolayev, where port facilities were hit and gantry cranes were destroyed.
He also stated that military cargo could be brought into Ukraine under the cover of humanitarian shipments. After arriving at the ports of Odessa and Chernomorsk, the supplies are then distributed to Ukrainian Armed Forces units.
Over the past day, Russian forces carried out a series of strikes against targets in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said that high-precision weapons and drones were used during the overnight attacks on July 12.
According to the ministry, the targets included port infrastructure in Odessa and Chernomorsk used for unloading and storing military cargo, fuel and lubricants.
The ministry also reported that two cargo ships and a sea ferry delivering supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hit in the port of Chernomorsk, along with a patrol boat providing cover.