GENICHESK, August 6. /TASS/. Russia’s strikes on military infrastructure at ports in Greater Odessa have paralyzed Ukraine’s "southern gateway," Yevgeny Brykov, head of the Kherson Region’s information policy department, told TASS.

Since July 10, Russian forces have repeatedly targeted ports in Greater Odessa, an area that includes the ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny, in southern Ukraine. Russia has also hit vessels carrying military cargo to Ukraine.

"The situation with Odessa’s port infrastructure shows that this is the only remaining transport corridor in Ukraine that serves Western interests, and today this ‘southern gateway’ is largely paralyzed," Brykov said.

The official added that strikes on the Odessa port are disrupting logistics and are having a noticeable impact on Western businesses.

Since July 22, the Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny ports have not accepted or sent any foreign cargo vessels. International companies are refusing to work with these ports due to security concerns and are rerouting cargo flows, including to the Port of Constanta in Romania.

Alternative routes through Danube ports, Constanta, or by road and rail through EU countries cannot fully make up for the loss of shipments from Greater Odessa ports.