Russia intensifies drone attacks on ports, Ukraine says

KYIV, May 4 (Reuters) – Russia has stepped up its targeting of Ukrainian port infrastructure this year, using more than 800 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in attacks in the first four months of 2026, Kiev said on Monday.

Keeping ports in the southern Odessa region open is vital for Ukraine and its wartime economy, as exports, mostly grain and small quantities of metal, are key to foreign exchange earnings as Russia tries to push back.

Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksii Kuleba said that despite the attacks, more than 30 million tons of cargo have been processed in Ukrainian ports since the beginning of the year.

Ukraine’s southern region has been subject to almost daily Russian attacks in recent months, with authorities regularly reporting damage to port infrastructure and warehouses.

Since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian attacks have damaged or partially destroyed more than 900 port facilities, including 177 civilian ships, Kuleba said on the Telegram app.

Ukraine’s annual goods exports rose just 0.6% in March, central bank data showed.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Alexander Smith)