KYIV, UKRAINE — Russia continued its assault on Ukrainian grain assets on Aug. 23 with drone strikes at a Danube River port, Reuters reported.

Citing a message from Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov on the Telegram messaging app, Reuters reported that Russia destroyed 13,000 tonnes of grain — about 15% of total storage capacity — at the Port of Izmail. 

Since withdrawing on July 17 from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which for nearly a year allowed safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports during the ongoing war between the two countries, Russia has repeatedly attacked grain infrastructure at ports on the Black Sea and along the Danube River.

During the month-long onslaught, Russia has destroyed 270,000 tonnes of grain at the ports, according to Ukrainian officials.

Having shipped more than 33 million tonnes of grain on the Black Sea while the grain deal was in effect, Ukraine has been searching for ways to circumvent the Russian blockade of its southern ports. It is reportedly considering a ”humanitarian corridor” that hugs the western coastline near Romania and Bulgaria. A Hong Kong-flagged container ship that had been stuck in Odesa since the February 2022 invasion traveled the route last week without being fired upon, Reuters reported.