Following a Russian missile strike that resulted in the deaths of five individuals and left 32 others wounded, a day of mourning has been announced in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. The attack, which targeted a popular seafront park, occurred as residents enjoyed the park after work, some walking their dogs. A law academy building was captured engulfed in flames following the attack.
Odesa’s regional governor, Oleh Kiper, described the strike as one hitting “one of the most popular locations among Odesa residents and visitors with a ballistic missile, previously with a cluster munition.” Kiper also noted that cluster munitions pose a threat primarily to people, not infrastructure.
The deadly toll includes at least one child in critical condition and a pregnant woman among the injured. In an immediate response, Odesa’s Mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, condemned the attack on peaceful civilians, branding Russia a “terrorist country.”
Dmytro Pletenchuk, the Head of the Strategic Communications Center of the Southern Defense Forces, disclosed that the Russians employed a shrapnel rocket in the assault on Odesa. This rocket is specifically intended to target human personnel. Pletenchuk mentioned that specialists are currently identifying the specific type of weapon utilized by the Russians in the attack.
“However, I can confirm that there are shrapnel holes present on the walls surrounding the targeted site, indicating the weapon’s purpose to incapacitate personnel and engage in combat operations. It was not intended for use against civilian infrastructure or civilians,” emphasized Pletenchuk.
Russia asserts that it does not intentionally target civilians in the conflict with Ukraine, despite the fact that numerous casualties have occurred in strikes on residential areas and civilian infrastructure since the conflict began in February 2022.
As families grieve and the wounded fight for their lives, the broader impact of the attack reverberates through the community. A law academy building, affectionately known to locals as the ‘Harry Potter castle’, was engulfed in flames as a result of the strike. A 98-year-old Ukrainian woman recounted walking 10km amidst shelling, using sticks for support and sleeping on the ground, as she fled an area now under Russian occupation in an attempt to reach territories controlled by Kyiv.
The assault occurred following criticism from Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg regarding the sluggish delivery of aid from Ukraine’s Western allies, citing “significant delays” that enabled Russian forces to progress on the frontlines in the ongoing 25-month-long invasion.
Relevant articles:
– Ukraine war live updates: Odesa reels from deadly missile attack; 98-year-old walks miles under fire to escape advancing Russians , CNBC, 04/30/2024
– Russia Ukraine war live: Five killed in Russian strike on ‘Harry Potter castle’ in Odesa, The Independent, 04/30/2024
– Ukraine war latest: Attack on Odesa kills 4, injures 29, Kyiv Independent, 04/29/2024
– In Odesa, four people were killed by a Russian strike: the number of victims has increased, ТСН English, 04/30/2024
– Russian missile attack on Odesa leaves five dead and four, including child, in critical condition, Рубрика, 04/30/2024