Zelenskiy calls Russian attack on Odesa port 'barbaric' hours after grain deal

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of "barbarism" after rockets hit Odesa, endangering a deal to reopen grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages.

Russia struck Odesa with cruise missiles just 12 hours after signing an agreement with Kyiv to enable monitored grain exports from Ukraine's southern ports.

Zelensky termed the incident "barbaric," proving Moscow couldn't be trusted to follow the pact.

During a meeting with US congressmen, he remarked, "This proves just one thing: no matter what Russia says and pledges, it will find ways not to do it."

Eyewitness footage from the port area shows one of the missiles bursting near the beachfront and a parked ship.

The UN, EU, US, UK, Germany, and Italy condemned the Odessa attacks.

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said the attack casts doubt on Russia's adherence to yesterday's pact.

"Russia must halt its actions for aggravating the world food crisis," he continued.

Liz Truss, the British foreign secretary, called the "appalling" attack hours after the accord was signed "totally unnecessary" and proof that Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted.

Russia has "nothing to do" with the strikes, according to Turkey's military minister. Neither the Russian defense ministry nor the military's evening summary mentioned Odesa. The ministry declined to respond to Reuters.

UN officials anticipate the accord will be effective in a few weeks. Ukraine's southern military command told Suspilne the grain storage location wasn't touched.

"Unfortunately, wounded. Maksym Marchenko, Odesa's governor, stated the port's infrastructure was destroyed.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, minister of infrastructure, wrote on Facebook that "we continue technical preparations for exports from our ports."

Russia and Ukraine are major wheat producers, and the fighting has boosted food costs. According to the World Food Programme, 47 million people have "acute hunger."

Friday's pact promises to avert starvation in poorer nations by putting more wheat, sunflower oil, fertilizer, and other supplies on world markets, partly at reduced costs.

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