<Anchor> The
battle between Russia and Ukraine is intensifying over the southern region of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, at this week's EU Commission meeting, a vote will be held on Ukraine's status as an EU candidate.
This is reporter Yoo Soo-hwan.
<Reporter>
A food warehouse in Odessa, a city in southern Ukraine, was burned down by a Russian missile attack and only rebar remains.
On the 18th, Ukrainian President Zelensky visited this place for the first time since the outbreak of the war and expressed his will to fight back, but Russia bombed it just two days later.
In Crimea, annexed by Russia, Ukraine claims it has attacked gas drilling platforms in the Black Sea and Azov Seas near Odessa.
Crimea head Sergei Akshonov said three people were injured and seven people were missing in the attack.
Odessa, a representative southern port city, is known as the world's breadbasket due to the blockade of sea routes due to war, and Ukraine's grain exports fell 55.5% this month compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, the European Commission will hold a meeting for two days on the 23rd and 24th to decide whether Ukraine should be granted EU candidate status.
If the 27 member countries unanimously approve it, it will be granted candidate country status and will begin full-scale negotiations for official membership.
[Zelensky/Ukraine President: I received a positive response from the European Commission about Ukraine's status as a candidate for the European Union.]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said he was "confident of a positive decision" about Ukraine's securing the status of a candidate.