Today, Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian bombing of the port of Odessa (south) dealt a blow to the Istanbul agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, while the Ukrainian and Russian sides exchanged strikes in several areas, Kyiv announced that it had received additional US military support.

Zelensky added, when meeting US lawmakers in Kyiv, that Russia targeted the port of Odessa with missile attacks less than 24 hours after the signing of the agreement, which was supervised by the United Nations and Turkey, on the export of grain from the ports of his country.

He added that these attacks also targeted grain stations, and showed that Moscow would find a way to not implement the agreement signed in Istanbul on Friday.

The Ukrainian presidency had previously said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had dealt a blow to the United Nations and Turkey by attacking the port of Odessa.

She added that Russia's attack on the port of Odessa after the signing of the grain export agreement was a diplomatic contradiction.

⚡️ 10 explosions reported in Odesa.

Some rockets taken down by air defense.

Fire in port, rocket strike in port area confirmed.


In light of grain agreement a logical❓️ arises – who will ensure safety of grain ships in Odesa ports if 🇷🇺 continues strikes and how will it be done?

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— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 23, 2022

For its part, the Ukrainian army announced that its air defenses had shot down a number of Russian missiles in the sky of Odessa, and said that the two missiles that targeted the port had hit a grain shipping station, but he stressed that the damage was limited.

The governor of Odessa confirmed the injury of a number of people as a result of the bombing.

Al-Jazeera correspondent spotted two missiles on the coast of Odessa during the Ukrainian air defense forces' response to the attack.

Despite the Russian bombing, the Ukrainian government announced that it would continue preparations for the resumption of grain exports through 3 ports located on the Black Sea, including the port of Odessa.

Russia and Ukraine, under Turkish mediation and UN sponsorship, signed an agreement in Istanbul to secure the removal of millions of tons of grain from Ukrainian ports.

The agreement is valid for 120 days, subject to extension, and allows the export of between 20 and 25 million tons of suspended grain in Ukraine.

REGARDING THE SHELLINGS OF THE ODESSA PORT


Istanbul agreements didn't cancel the War.

It was always clear that Russians couldn't be trusted.

But this does not affect the fact that we, Ukrainians NEED to take grain out of the ports.

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— Mustafa Nayyem (@mefimus) July 23, 2022

international condemnations

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, condemned the missile strikes on the Ukrainian port of Odessa.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said all parties on Friday made clear commitments to ensure the safe transportation of Ukrainian grain and related products to world markets, and that the full implementation of the commitments by Russia, Ukraine and Turkey is a must.

In turn, European Commissioner for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said that he strongly condemned the Russian missile strike on the port of Odessa.

Borrell said that the bombing of the port a day after the signing of the Istanbul agreement is reprehensible, and shows once again Russia's complete disregard for international law and obligations, as he put it.

For its part, the US ambassador to Kyiv, Brigitte Brink, called for holding Moscow accountable for what she described as its outrageous attack on the city of Odessa.

In this context, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that the Russian missile attacks on the port of Odessa are of grave concern, and called on Russia to fully respect the text and spirit of the Istanbul Agreement.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the UN Secretary-General's condemnation of the attack on the port of Odessa, saying that he condemns without any reservations the attacks on the port of Odessa, while he does not condemn the Ukrainian regime's targeting of children in the Donbass, as she put it.

In Ankara, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that he had contacts with Russian officials, and that they denied any connection to the attack on the port of Odessa.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country will make an important contribution to overcoming the global food crisis through the movement of ships that will begin in the coming days in Ukrainian ports.

In a speech during a meeting with workers of an industrial company in Kayseri (central country), Erdogan stressed that Ankara is determined to continue its diplomatic efforts until peace is achieved between Russia and Ukraine.


Additional help

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian presidency confirmed that it has received additional aid from the United States worth $270 million, including 4 HIMARS missile systems, anti-tank weapons and 580 drones.

The Ukrainian presidency also stressed its need for at least 50 effective missile systems, such as the Hemars, and hundreds of howitzers.

Kyiv recently talked about the success of its forces in directing precise strikes to the Russian forces using advanced Western weapons systems, especially the HIMARS system.


Field developments

In the field developments, the Ukrainian army announced that its forces had bombed with 7 missiles a bridge controlled by the Russian forces over the "Ingolets" river in the village of Darivka in Kherson Province in the south of the country.

The Ukrainian army said that the bridge was an important supply line for the Russian forces, and that it was damaged and malfunctions as a result of the bombing.

It is noteworthy that this bridge is the second that the Ukrainian forces have announced its bombing within days, after the Antonov Bridge in Kherson.

The Ukrainian army also confirmed the killing of 93 Russian soldiers and the destruction of "Grad" missile systems, self-propelled guns and an ammunition depot in Kherson.

On the other hand, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the elimination of about 200 Ukrainian forces by targeting their positions in the Dnepropetrovsk region (central Ukraine), noting as well as the destruction of 12 Ukrainian forces control sites and 4 weapons depots yesterday.

The ministry also talked about the elimination of about 60 who were named by the elements of the Ukrainian nationalist "Donbass" formation in the Donetsk district of the Donbass region (east).

For his part, Al-Jazeera correspondent reported the intensification of confrontations between Ukrainian and Russian forces on the outskirts of the Mykolaiv district (south), especially on the Sneherivka and Pashtanka fronts.

The Ukrainian army said that Ukrainian planes bombed Russian military sites in the countryside of the province.

In the Donbass, Al-Jazeera correspondent said that in the morning, Russian bombing targeted the cities of Slaviansk, Kramatorsk and Kostantinovka, noting that it caused a disruption of internet service in the areas controlled by the Ukrainian forces.

The Ukrainian General Staff said that the Russian army targeted the cities of Konovchuk, Toritsk and Bakhmut, and that the Ukrainian forces repelled the attack on the city of Seversk, and talked about targeting military sites for the Russian army and separatists in the region.

In Kharkiv (east), Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that 3 explosions occurred in the center of the city.