ODESSA — Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of striking the Black Sea port of Odessa with missiles on Saturday, a day after Moscow and Kyiv agreed to restart shipments of blockaded grain in a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. 

The military command in southern Ukraine said air defense systems shot down two missiles while two others “hit the infrastructure of the port.”

Russia and Ukraine agree to release blockaded grain exports

“It took less than 24 hours for Russia to launch a missile attack on Odesa’s port, breaking its promises,” said Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, who charged Moscow with “undermining its commitments” to the U.N. and Turkey under the grain agreement.

“In case of non-fulfillment, Russia will bear full responsibility for global food crisis,” he said.

The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A. Brink, described the strike as “outrageous.”

Friday’s deal, designed to help release millions of tons of grain trapped in Ukraine, involved Russian assurances it would not attack merchant ships or port facilities involved in the initiative.

The agreement marked a step toward easing a crisis that has exposed many countries to the threat of rising hunger, especially in Africa and the Middle East.

Francis reported from London. Stern reported from Kyiv.