Ukraine's largest grain producer and exporter details damage caused by Russian strike on vegetable oil terminal
A large fire caused by a Russian strike on a sunflower oil terminal belonging to Kernel, Ukraine's largest grain producer and exporter, damaged half of the facility's storage tanks and destroyed 25,000 tonnes of product.
Source: Kernel press service
Details: On the morning of 14 July, Russian forces attacked Kernel's sunflower oil transshipment terminal in Odesa Oblast.
Quote: "The strike triggered a large-scale fire that damaged approximately half of the terminal's sunflower oil storage capacity and critical transshipment infrastructure. Around 25,000 tonnes of sunflower oil belonging to both Kernel and a US company storing its product at the terminal were damaged."
Details: The press service reported that the coordinated efforts of Kernel's port operations team, State Emergency Service units and neighbouring terminals made it possible to contain and extinguish the fire within 12 hours.
"Their prompt response prevented the fire from spreading to other facilities and avoided any leakage of sunflower oil into the sea. No employees were injured," the company said.
Kernel is currently dealing with the aftermath of the attack and assessing the extent of the damage.
"These deliberate attacks on Ukraine's port infrastructure target not only Ukrainian businesses but also undermine global food security and the stability of international food supply chains," the company added.
Background:
- Kernel has been forced to suspend operations at its terminal facilities at the seaport of Chornomorsk due to Russian attacks.
- Earlier, on the night of 4-5 June, a Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast damaged a Kernel terminal at the port of Chornomorsk.
- On 19 May, during a nighttime Russian drone attack on Khmelnytskyi Oblast, a Kernel grain storage complex was damaged.
- On the night of 2-3 May, Russian drones attacked port infrastructure in Chornomorsk, Odesa Oblast, damaging a vegetable oil transshipment terminal belonging to Kernel.
- In August 2024, an oilseed processing plant belonging to Kernel in Ukraine's west was damaged in a Russian drone attack.
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