Russian strikes halt Ukraine grain exports amid Kyiv political crisis

Russian drone attacks on the Black Sea port cities of Mykolaiv and Odesa have killed three people and damaged three civilian foreign-flagged vessels. The strikes have forced a partial halt to grain shipments and an almost complete suspension of grain purchases at Ukrainian port terminals, according to traders and analysts.

One early Friday strike on Mykolaiv killed two Ukrainians aboard a foreign vessel. In Odesa, a later attack hit a Marshall Islands-flagged ship, sparking a fire and injuring four of its 17 crew members, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. Russia has escalated its targeting of deepwater ports handling grain and cargo in recent weeks.

The attacks coincide with a sudden political upheaval in Kyiv that has startled senior European officials. For a second day, thousands have protested outside the presidential office against the removal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. His dismissal removes a key architect of Ukraine's tech-driven warfare at a moment when the country appeared to be gaining battlefield advantages.

Fedorov had successfully leveraged drone and missile technology but clashed with military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi over strategy. “With hindsight, the conflict between the two men and their ideas about how to fight the war was inevitable: between an older – and old-school general – micromanaging a bruising war of attrition against a more numerous foe, and Fedorov, with his tech-driven, more improvisational approach that appeared in recent months to be showing dividends.”

The move has exposed a troubling flaw in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's leadership. Zelenskyy defended the reshuffle, stating he was forced “to choose between sides [when honestly] what I want most is unity”.

Zelenskyy is simultaneously working to repair a damaging rift with Poland, a vital logistics corridor for Ukrainian exports. He pledged to expand investigations into historical killings by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and open intelligence files. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk responded on X, saying Poland was “ready for a serious and friendly dialogue on the issues that unite us and those that divide us”.

Behind the military front, Russia is showing signs of economic strain from the prolonged conflict. Authorities detained blogger Ilya Remeslo on Friday for allegedly spreading false information about the army, and fined anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin 1,000 roubles ($13). The crackdown comes ahead of September’s parliamentary election, as the government faces domestic pressure from a slowing economy and fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries.