In the first quarter of 2025, there were 659 ship calls to three ports in the Odessa region.
This was reported by Andriy Klymenko, head of the Monitoring Group at the Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies.
According to Klymenko, the number of foreign ships operating at the ports of Greater Odessa steadily increased from January to March 2025.
"During this period, Russian armed forces launched at least 35 missile and drone attacks on the ports of Greater Odessa, as well as the energy and industrial infrastructure in the Odessa region around the ports (an average of one attack every three days)," Klymenko noted.
The number of strike drones used in attacks on the ports, according to open sources, is not precisely recorded, but it is estimated to range from 5 to 20 or more drones per attack, totaling between 150 and 200 since the start of the year.
He also reminded that during these attacks, three vessels were damaged, with fatalities among civilians and damage to port infrastructure.
"All vessels were attacked by 'Iskander-M' ballistic missiles at Odessa port: on 01.03.25, the bulk carrier 'SUPER SARKAS' (flag of Sierra Leone) and container ship 'MSC LEVANTE F' (flag of Panama); on 11.03.25, the bulk carrier 'MJ Pinar' (flag of Barbados, 4 crew members killed)," the expert wrote.
Despite the attacks, 659 ship calls were made to the three ports of Odessa during January-March, which are part of the "export corridor" (204 in January, 213 in February, and 242 in March).
