On Monday, a Russian missile strike targeted the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, killing 10 people and injuring 44 others, according to local governor Oleh Kiper and the national police. The attack struck a residential neighbourhood, causing widespread destruction and escalating civilian casualties in a region already marked by previous hostilities.
Four children were among those wounded, and three individuals remain in serious condition, Kiper reported on the Telegram messaging platform. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, also on Telegram, condemned the attack, revealing that a ballistic missile had damaged a residential building, a university, and an administrative office in the city.
Describing these strikes as “show strikes,” Zelenskiy criticised Russia’s intentions, noting the continued aggression despite recent diplomatic discussions.
“These are not random strikes – these are show strikes,” he remarked. “Russia is showing what it is really interested in: only war.”
The Ukrainian national police provided further details, confirming that seven police officers, a medic, and two local residents were among those killed. Fourteen police officers were also among the injured, underscoring the broad impact on emergency response personnel.
The Odesa strike came amid an intensifying wave of Russian missile assaults on Ukrainian cities, marking one of the most extensive campaigns in recent months. Over the weekend, a large-scale missile attack reportedly killed seven people and significantly damaged Ukraine’s already fragile energy infrastructure. In a related incident, another missile strike in the Sumy region on Sunday claimed 11 lives, including two children, and left 89 people injured.
