Russian strike on grain ship off Odesa kills 5, leaves 5 missing
Why it matters: The hit on a foreign-flagged vessel carrying corn widens risks to Ukraine's export corridor and Black Sea shipping.
A Russian strike hit a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship carrying grain off Odesa after it left port, killing at least five crew members and leaving five missing, Ukrainian officials said July 19. Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said the vessel, the Golden Leo, carried 17 sailors from India and Syria plus one Ukrainian. Eight crew members were rescued, including two who were injured, while the ship was still burning late Sunday. Ukraine's navy said Russia fired three cruise missiles at the vessel as it departed the combat zone. The attack came as Russia also stepped up missile strikes on Kyiv and southern Ukrainian ports that handle much of the country's grain exports.