Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight, killing one person and injuring 13 others, according to regional governor Oleh Kiper on Saturday.
Several residential buildings, homes, commercial properties, and dozens of private vehicles were damaged in the attack, which was the second consecutive drone strike on Odesa in the past two days, Kiper reported.
“The enemy attacked Odesa and the surrounding region again with drones during the night. One person was killed and 13 others were injured. Among the injured are two children,” Kiper wrote on Telegram.
Prosecutors said the injured children were a 4-year-old and a 16-year-old boy, respectively.
Russia launched 51 drones, focusing its attack on Odesa and the surrounding southern region of Ukraine, said the Ukrainian Air Force, adding that Ukrainian air defense units shot down 32 of the Russian drones.
The Russian drones also caused a large fire in one of Odesa’s districts, public broadcaster Suspilne reported, citing residents.
Other media outlets in the city shared footage showing burning cars and buildings with thick smoke rising into the sky.
Moscow’s forces have intensified airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, sending waves of drones nearly every night.
The Ukrainian military stated that Russia launched over 2,000 attack drones on civilian and military targets in October.
Moscow claims it does not target civilians. However, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has verified 11,743 civilian deaths from violence related to the conflict since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, through the end of August this year.
The Ukrainian government states that the actual death toll may be much higher due to difficulties in reaching some parts of the country.
