Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Russian forces who attacked the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Friday will face a “proper response” from Kiev’s forces.
Russia bombarded Odesa with missiles and drones on Friday, killing 20 people and injuring more than 70, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Two Russian Iskander-M missiles, fired from the Russian-occupied Crimea, hit a residential area in Odesa, said the governor of the region, Oleh Kiper.
Some of the victims were doctors and rescuers who were killed by a second missile after they had gone to the scene to treat the wounded from the first missile, Kiper said.
Zelensky condemned the attack as “barbaric” and called the Russian forces carrying out the attack a “nightmare.”
Russia has escalated attacks on the southern Ukrainian city in recent weeks, launching drones and missiles almost daily this month.
Friday’s attack was among the deadliest in recent weeks.
“Russia continues to terrorize Odesa,” said Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin.
Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation and declared Saturday a day of mourning.
Zelensky met with military commanders, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and later said in a Telegram post that his officials had identified the “most vulnerable positions” of the enemy.
He said the higher the price Russia has to pay for its aggression, “the closer the rightful end of this war will be.”
