A Russian missile hits a Liberia-flagged ship in Odesa, Ukraine’s main Black Sea port

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian port of Odesa hit a Liberian-flagged freighter, killing a port worker and injuring three citizens of the Philippines, who are crew members on the ship. The report Thursday from Ukraine’s armed forces did not name the vessel or its ownership, but Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the ship was to carry iron ore to China. The extent of the damage was not immediately reported. The Odesa port and others in the region are economically vital to Ukraine as its outlets to the Black Sea, from which ships can head for world markets. Kubrakov said that since August when Russia declined to renew a deal allowing Ukraine to safely export grain via the Black Sea, Odesa port facilities have come under Russian attack 21 times.