Russian strikes hit Ukrainian ports as defense protests spread
Local officials reported deaths in Mykolaiv, Kherson and Odesa while protesters demanded the reinstatement of ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Russian attacks killed civilians and damaged foreign-registered ships in southern Ukraine on Friday, according to Ukrainian officials, as a political dispute over the removal of the defense minister drew protesters into the streets for a second day. The strikes underscored the pressure on Ukraine’s ports and shipping routes while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces public anger over a wartime cabinet reshuffle.
Local prosecutors said Russian drones hit port infrastructure in Mykolaiv and damaged three foreign-registered vessels. Prosecutors said two Ukrainians aboard one of the ships were killed.
Local officials also reported deadly attacks in Kherson and Odesa. They said a Russian drone strike in Kherson killed a woman and wounded six people, while an attack in Odesa, Ukraine’s largest seaport, killed a man.
Serhii Lysak, identified as head of the Odesa City Military Administration, said on Telegram that Russia was continuing to target civilians, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Shipping routes come under fire
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that both Ukraine and Russia have increased missile and drone attacks on vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The waters are central to grain exports, making attacks on shipping and port facilities a major economic and military issue.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Friday that Russian forces had struck 24 vessels used by Ukraine’s military during the past week. The ministry did not provide details in the report cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Ukraine also reported attacks at sea and on Russian energy infrastructure. Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, said Ukrainian forces struck 12 Russian vessels in the Black Sea on Friday, while Ukraine’s military identified two of the targets as Russian tankers.
Ukraine’s military also said it hit an oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region. Al Jazeera and Reuters did not report an independent assessment of damage from that strike.
Protests follow minister’s ouster
The attacks came as protests continued over Zelenskyy’s decision to remove Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Fedorov, 35, had pushed to modernize the ministry and has been partly credited with recent Ukrainian military successes.
Fedorov’s removal has revealed a sharp split inside Ukraine’s military leadership, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. After being forced to resign, Fedorov strongly criticized military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, with whom he had been in dispute, and questioned whether Ukraine could defeat Russia while Syrskyi remained in command of the army.
Demonstrators gathered outside Zelenskyy’s office in central Kyiv for a second day on Friday, calling for Fedorov to be restored to the post. Ukraine’s Ukrinform news agency reported that pro-Fedorov rallies were also held in Kharkiv, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, Chernivtsi and Lutsk.
Reuters quoted 29-year-old protester Valeriia Balenko as saying she hoped the authorities would listen to public demands because soldiers and civilians under daily air attacks were at stake.
Zelenskyy on Thursday named Yevgeniy Khmara, head of Ukraine’s SBU security service, as acting defense minister. Zelenskyy said Khmara had “unprecedented experience with technological combat operations,” according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Zelenskyy has also chosen former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to chair Ukraine’s defense and security council, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.