Russian drones targeted the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight for the second time this week, leaving at least 18 people injured and causing significant damage to residential areas, local officials said.
The heaviest damage was reported in the Primorsky district, where high-rise and five-story apartment buildings were hit. According to regional officials, fires broke out on upper floors and rooftops but were later brought under control.
Emergency services warned that the number of injured could still rise. Among the wounded is a 17-year-old boy, while two individuals remain in critical condition in intensive care.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched one ballistic missile and 206 drones overnight. Of these, 172 were intercepted or neutralized, while one missile and 32 drones struck 22 different locations.
In addition to residential buildings, the attacks damaged a kindergarten facility, a shopping center, a hotel, and several administrative buildings. Dozens of buses and cars were also destroyed or damaged in parking areas.
In another part of the city, infrastructure facilities, warehouses, and a garage complex were hit.
Odesa, a major Black Sea port crucial for Ukraine’s exports, has been repeatedly targeted throughout the ongoing war, now in its fourth year, highlighting the continued vulnerability of civilian infrastructure amid the conflict.
