RUSSIAN DRONE STRIKE HITS ODESA, UKRAINE
A deadly Russian drone strike targeted the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa in the early hours of Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring over a dozen others, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack marks the latest in a series of aerial assaults by Russian forces aimed at crippling Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, particularly along the Black Sea coast.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that multiple Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched from occupied Crimea and the eastern Azov Sea region, striking residential areas and a grain storage facility in Odesa. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept most of the incoming drones, but several broke through and caused significant destruction in the densely populated city center.
Local authorities confirmed that among the seven people killed were a pregnant woman and her husband, whose apartment was hit directly by one of the drones. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and spent hours battling fires and clearing debris from collapsed buildings. Video footage shared by emergency services showed rescue workers pulling survivors from the rubble as flames continued to spread.
Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper called the attack “a deliberate act of terror” and accused Russia of trying to disrupt Ukrainian grain exports and terrorize civilians. “This was not a military target. This was a residential building where people were sleeping,” Kiper said during a press briefing. “Russia is once again showing its contempt for human life.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike, reiterating calls for increased air defense support from Western allies. “Every day, Ukraine faces Russian terror from the skies. We need more air defense systems to protect our cities and people,” Zelensky said in a statement. He also emphasized the strategic importance of Odesa, which plays a key role in Ukraine’s efforts to keep its grain corridor open amid ongoing hostilities in the Black Sea region.
The drone strike follows a pattern of intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine’s southern ports and agricultural infrastructure, particularly as Moscow seeks to undermine Ukraine’s ability to export grain—an economic lifeline for the country. Since the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal in 2023, Russian forces have increasingly targeted silos, warehouses, and port facilities in a campaign that Kyiv describes as economic warfare.
In response to the latest strike, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed its appeal to the international community to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Ukrainian officials also reiterated the need for NATO members to expedite delivery of advanced air defense systems, including more Patriot and NASAMS batteries.
Meanwhile, European Union and United Nations officials condemned the attack, calling for accountability and an end to the targeting of civilian areas. “This is yet another blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “The international community must act.”
As Odesa mourns its dead and clears the wreckage, the attack underscores the continuing vulnerability of Ukrainian cities to drone warfare. Despite international support and strengthened defenses, Ukraine’s war-torn landscape remains under persistent threat from the skies.