Ukrainian grain tycoon killed as first export ship prepares to leave Odesa
- A ‘hero of Ukraine and general director of Nibulon, Olexiy Vadatursky, and his wife Rajissa tragically died as a result of shelling’, regional governor said
- News came as it was revealed there is a ‘high probability’ that a first ship carrying Ukrainian grain would leave the port of Odesa on Monday
A Ukrainian grain trader has been killed in a Russian attack in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolayiv.
“During the night, the hero of Ukraine and general director of Nibulon, Olexiy Vadatursky, and his wife Rajissa tragically died as a result of shelling,” the regional governor, Vitaliy Kim, wrote on Telegram.
Vadatursky was said to be worth more than €400 million (US$408 million).
The news came soon after it was announced that a ship with Ukrainian grain would leave the port of Odesa on Monday.
A spokesman for the Turkish presidency said there was a “high probability” that a first ship carrying Ukrainian grain could leave Ukraine’s port of Odesa on Monday.
That is despite Russian missiles hitting the city in the wake of the July 22 agreement on shipping grain between Russia, Türkiye, the UN and Ukraine.