Russian missile strike on Odesa kills four, hits cargo ship amid ceasefire talks

Barbados flagged bulk carrier MJ Pinar hit by a Russian missile strike

A Russian ballistic missile strike on Odesa overnight killed four people and damaged a Barbados-flagged cargo ship, Ukrainian authorities reported Wednesday.

The attack late Tuesday coincided with Ukraine's endorsement of a US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal and its agreement to immediate negotiations with Russia.

According to Ukrainian officials, the missile struck while the cargo ship was being loaded with grain destined for Algeria.

"Unfortunately, four people died -- citizens of Syria. The youngest victim was 18, the oldest was 24 years old. Two more people were wounded -- a Ukrainian and a Syrian," Oleksiy Kuleba, vice prime minister for reconstruction wrote on social media.

"Russia is attacking Ukraine's infrastructure, including ports that are involved in ensuring the world's food security," he added.

Separately, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region said a 47-year-old woman was killed during a Russian missile attack on the central city of Kryvyi Rig, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian air force said that in total Russia had launched three missiles at the war-battered country overnight as well as 133 drones of various types, including the Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drone.

Its air defence units shot down 98 of the drones, the air force added.