Russian Airstrike in Odesa Injures 8, Damages Museum and Port

Odesa Governor reports 15 drones targeted port infrastructure, damaging warehouses, vehicles; grain trucks caught fire but were swiftly extinguished.

_{^{The attack damaged around 20 multi-storey buildings and over two dozen cars. (Photo: Reuters)}}

On a Sunday night, Russia launched a major air attack on Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa, causing significant damage and injuries. At least eight people were wounded, and a blaze engulfed trucks loaded with grain.

The attack also damaged one of the city’s principal art galleries and numerous buildings, including about 20 multi-storey structures and over two dozen cars, according to the Interior Ministry.

Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept and destroy 15 out of 22 incoming Iranian-made “Shahed” drones and an X-59 missile, according to the air force.

Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper revealed that 15 drones targeted the city’s port infrastructure, damaging warehouses, specialized vehicles, and grain-carrying trucks.

This intensified bombardment of Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure followed Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July.

The attack was launched from Russia’s annexed Crimean peninsula, and it remained unclear whether the buildings and trucks were hit by drones or falling debris. The Odesa Fine Arts Museum, housed in a historic tsarist-era palace, also suffered significant damage.

Andriy Yermak, head of the president’s office, suggested the attack was a response to Ukrainian actions in Crimea, and no immediate comment was received from Russia.

The strike coincided with the eve of the Odesa National Art Museum’s 124th anniversary, adding a bitter note to the destruction of this architectural monument.

The museum, which housed a vast collection of art, including works by renowned Russian and Ukrainian artists, bore the brunt of the attack.

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Toshika Chauhan