• Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, and his wife Raisa were killed after a missile struck their home.
• Mykolaiv is located on the main route to Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port.
• The city has been regularly attacked by Russia.

One of Ukraine’s wealthiest businessmen and his wife were killed in “massive” Russian bombardment of the southern city of Mykolaiv.

Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, and his wife Raisa were killed after a missile struck their home overnight, according to Ukrainian media.

Mr Vadatursky was the owner of Nibulon, a grain exporting company. He had also been named a “Hero of Ukraine.”

Mykolaiv mayor Oleksandr Senkevych claimed it was likely the city’s biggest Russian bombardment to date.

A hotel, a sports centre, two schools, a service station, and several homes were damaged.

Mykolaiv is located on the main route to Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port, and has been regularly attacked.

Vitaliy Kim, the region’s chairman, said Mr Vadatursky “did a lot for the Mykolaiv region, a lot for Ukraine.”

“His contribution to the growth of the agricultural and shipbuilding industries, as well as the region’s development, is invaluable,” he stated on Telegram.

Nibulon has constructed numerous grain storage facilities and other infrastructure.

Ukraine and Russia are important producers of wheat and other crops, and the war’s disruption of exports has pushed food prices skyrocketing around the world.

Last week, the two countries reached a UN-brokered agreement in Turkey to alleviate the food situation.

Security checks have slowed the start of Ukrainian exports. However, Turkey said on Sunday that the first grain ship would leave Odesa on Monday morning.

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