KURSK, July 20. /TASS/. Russian strikes on the Odessa port are forcing foreign commercial ships carrying Western weapons for Kiev to think twice about calling at the port, a trend that will ultimately swing the battlefield in Moscow's favor, Hero of Russia Yevgeny Poddubny, member of the United Russia General Council, war reporter and deputy director general of the VGTRK broadcaster, told TASS.
"Every destroyed or damaged ship, even if it is a commercial vessel used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, means undelivered cargo. Moreover, the strikes themselves are making Odessa an undesirable destination for foreign seafarers, companies and ships involved in military cargo deliveries. This will undoubtedly affect supplies and, consequently, the situation on the frontline," Poddubny said on the sidelines of the "Heroes Changing Times: Building a Strong Russia Together" media forum.
He expects Russia’s military to continue carrying out such strikes, arguing that the cumulative effect will eventually be felt on the battlefield as Ukrainian forces face shortages of equipment, weapons and drones.
Reports emerged on July 19 that Russian strikes had damaged fuel tanks intended for the Ukrainian armed forces at the Port of Yuzhny in the Odessa Region. On July 18, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces had struck a bulk carrier involved in military cargo deliveries at the Yuzhny port, as well as two bulk carriers loaded with military cargoes awaiting unloading at the Odessa port.