Moldova and Romania condemn Russian attacks on Odessa
Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr have condemned Russian attacks on the southern Odessa region of Ukraine.
I strongly condemn Russia's brutal attack on port infrastructure in Odesa region. Russia must be held accountable for every piece of infrastructure destroyed. My thoughts are with all those affected. Moldova stands firmly with Ukraine.
— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) September 3, 2023
Tîlvăr said that the Romanian Defense Ministry was monitoring the situation in the Reni port and that there were no direct military threats to Romania.
The attacks took place in the early hours of September 3, when Russian forces fired 25 Shahed drones at Odessa. Twenty-two of the drones were intercepted, but two civilians were injured.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian agricultural and port infrastructure since it refused to extend an agreement allowing the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. As a result, small river ports on the Danube, including Reni and Ismail, in the Odessa region, have become the main route for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
Prior to the war, about a quarter of Ukraine's grain exports passed through these ports.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
