Zelenskiy slams Russian "barbarity" after attack on Odessa port just hours after grain deal.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Russia of "barbarity" after missiles struck the southern port of Odesa, endangering a deal agreed a day earlier to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and alleviate global food shortages caused by the conflict.

Twelve hours after signing an agreement with Kyiv to allow monitored grain exports from Ukraine's southern ports, Russia launched cruise missile strikes against Odesa, through which the cargoes would pass.

Zelensky referred to the incident as blatant "barbarity," indicating that Moscow could not be trusted to carry out the agreement.

During a meeting with US lawmakers, he reportedly said, "This proves just one thing: regardless of what Russia says and pledges, it will find a way not to implement them."

Social media footage recorded in the port area by an eyewitness shows one of the missiles bursting along the beachfront, behind rows of containers, and not far from a docked ship.

The attacks on Odessa were harshly condemned by the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy.

Antony Blinken, the secretary of state of the United States, stated in a statement that "this attack raises considerable doubt on Russia's adherence to yesterday's agreement."

He continued, "Russia holds responsibility for aggravating the global food situation and must cease its aggressiveness."

Liz Truss, the British foreign minister, stated that the "appalling" attack hours after the agreement was signed was "totally unnecessary" and evidence that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, could not be trusted.

According to the Turkish minister of defense, Russian authorities informed Ankara that Moscow had "nothing to do" with the attacks. Neither the Russian defense ministry's comments nor the evening military report mentioned missile strikes in Odesa. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Friday, UN officials expressed optimism that the deal will be operational within the next two weeks. According to Suspilne, Ukraine's southern military command stated that the port's grain storage facility was not damaged.

"Regrettably, there are wounded. The infrastructure of the port was damaged, according to Odesa region governor Maksym Marchenko.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, minister of infrastructure, stated on Facebook that "we continue technical preparations for the opening of agricultural exports from our ports."

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's most major wheat producers, and the war has caused food prices to skyrocket. According to the World Food Programme, 47 million people are suffering from "acute hunger" as a result of the worldwide food crisis.

The agreement reached on Friday aims to prevent hunger in poorer nations by putting more wheat, sunflower oil, fertilizer, and other products on world markets, including at reduced rates for humanitarian purposes.