Russia struck the Danube river port of Izmail in southern Ukraine early on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said, in an attack that targeted a crucial alternative route for grain shipments amid Russia’s blockage of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.

The drone attack sparked a fire, but there were no immediate injuries, according to Oleg Kiper, the military administrator for the Odesa region, which includes Izmail.

According to the Ukrainian deputy Prime Minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, the drone attacks damaged almost 40,000 tons of grains which were expected by countries in Africa and also in China and Israel, said.

“The Russians attacked warehouses and grain elevators — almost 40 thousand tons of grain were damaged, which was expected by the countries of Africa, China, and Israel,” Kubrakov said in a post on social media platform X,.

Izmail is one of a handful of small ports up the river from the Danube Delta that has emerged as a lifeline for circumventing Russia’s de facto naval blockade of major ports along the Black Sea coast.

New York Times News Service and Reuters