Russian drones threaten Ukraine's key Danube River ports

Ukraine's air force said a wave of Russian military drones had entered the mouth of the Danube River and were headed towards the country's Izmail river port near the border with Romania. Social media groups monitoring the war reported hearing air defence systems firing in the area near Ukraine's Danube ports of Izmail and Reni early on Wednesday morning. The governor of southern Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, asked residents of Izmail district to take shelter at around 1:30 a.m. Ukraine's Danube River ports accounted for around a quarter of all grain exports from Ukraine before Russia recently pulled out of a deal allowing safe passage for the export of Ukrainian grain via the country's Black Sea ports. Danube River ports have now become the main export route, with grain shipments sent on barges from Ukraine across the Danube to Romania and its Black Sea port of Constanta for onward shipment.