Heavy Russian strikes hit the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv overnight and early on Sunday, killing the owner of one of the country’s largest grain producing and exporting companies, Oleksiy Vadatursky.

Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim disclosed this on Telegram, NAN reports.

According to Kim, Vadatursky, founder and owner of agriculture company Nibulon and his wife, were killed in their home.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has already described Vadatursky’s death as “a great loss for all of Ukraine”, saying the businessman had been in the process of building a modern grain market involving a network of transhipment terminals and elevators.

Three persons were also wounded in the attacks on Mikolaiv, the city’s Mayor, Oleksandr Senkevych, told Ukrainian television.

Senkevych added that twelve missiles had hit homes and educational facilities.

He described the strikes as “probably the most powerful” on the city of the entire five-month-old war.

Meanwhile, both Ukraine and Russia are leading suppliers of grain.

Zelensky, in a tweet via his Twitter handle on Sunday, said Ukraine may harvest only half its usual amount this year because of the invasion.

“Ukrainian harvest this year is under the threat to be twice less,” suggesting half as much as usual, Zelensky tweeted.

“Our main goal — to prevent global food crisis caused by Russian invasion.

“Still grains find a way to be delivered alternatively,” Zelensky added.