In the early hours of Monday, Ukraine reported successfully thwarting three separate waves of Russian missile and drone assaults aimed at Odesa, marking yet another instance of attacks in the southern region along the Black Sea coastline.
“The Odesa region experienced a threefold assault by the adversary during the night, involving two successive waves of attack drones totaling 15 units, along with eight sea-launched Kalibr-type missiles,” announced the Operational Command South on its Telegram channel.
Despite the intensity of these attacks, air defense forces managed to repel all hostile efforts. However, the fallout resulted in damage to a student dormitory and a supermarket situated within Odesa’s city center, causing injuries to three workers, as confirmed by military authorities.
The repercussions of the blasts were evident in shattered windows, balconies of several structures, and the significant impact on nearby parked vehicles. The incident sparked two fires that firefighters are currently grappling to control.
Visual evidence shared via the army’s Telegram channel showcased firefighters battling fierce flames that engulfed a multi-story supermarket, while a towering column of smoke ascended into the sky.
Escalated attacks in the Black Sea have escalated between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow’s withdrawal from an agreement last month that had previously guaranteed unobstructed passage for Kyiv’s grain exports during the ongoing conflict.
Following the abrogation of the agreement, Moscow intensified its targeting of ports in the Odesa region, which were pivotal for Ukrainian grain exports under the now-defunct arrangement.
This series of overnight missile and drone assaults follows closely after Moscow’s announcement of firing warning shots from a Russian warship at a cargo vessel en route to Izmail, a city situated on the Danube River in the Odesa vicinity.
The Russian vessel encountered the Sukru Okan cargo ship sailing under the flag of Palau and resorted to firing warning shots after the ship’s captain neglected to heed demands to halt. Subsequent inspection led to the release of the cargo ship to proceed with its voyage.
Earlier, on August 2, Russia struck the port infrastructure in Izmail, a key route for Ukrainian agricultural exports to neighboring Romania, underscoring the continued volatility of the region.
