GENICHESK, August 21. /TASS/. By striking civilian ships in the Black Sea, the Kiev regime risks spoiling relations with countries that still sympathize with Ukraine, Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo has told TASS.

"As Kiev keeps acting in this spirit, it risks spoiling relations even with the countries that tried to maintain a normal relationship with them up until now. At the same time, it is destroying its own reputation among international partners," Saldo said, when asked to comment on consequences that Ukrainian attacks on ships in the Black Sea may entail for the Kiev regime.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that throughout the summer, Kiev, with intelligence assistance from NATO and EU countries, has escalated attacks on maritime transport and civilian vessels in the Azov-Black Sea region using unmanned aerial systems. These operations have targeted critical agricultural cargo and logistical infrastructure. In response, Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian port facilities and vessels supporting the Ukrainian military. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, in the past 24 hours, strikes hit the Izmail port railway station, a key hub for military cargo, fuel storage, and transportation.