ODESA, Ukraine — The Odesa Oblast, Ukraine Governor Kiper has confirmed that the port infrastructure at Odessa has sustained significant damage after overnight drone and missile attack. Russian defense forces launched an aerial attack at the Port according to local officials and Ukraine’s Air Force.
“During the attack, several explosions were heard at the Black Sea Port,” said local media reports.
The attack that lasted for over an hour happened on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, dedicated to introspection, prayer and asking God for forgiveness. Odesa has an approximate of 120,000 living in the city.
Russian forces reportedly struck the Hotel Odessa Hotel with a suspected P-800 Oniks missile. The hotel also serves as a military training center with local media reports saying that the hotel went up in flames.
Other reports describe a ‘continuous attack’ on the Black Sea port lasting for over an hour, as Russia fired an arsenal of shahed missiles.
“Granaries were destroyed and the Odesa Port was “significantly damaged” in the overnight Russian strike,” said Ukrainian Operational Command South.
Earlier in July, Russia struck Ukrainian ports, only a day after pulling out of a U.N.-backed deal for safe Black Sea grain exports. The deal enabled Ukraine’s exports to reach many countries facing the threat of hunger and the decision to attack raised concern primarily in Africa and Asia because of rising cost of food and hunger.
In other related news, Ukrainian Special Force reports say that 34 people were killed, including the Russian Black Sea Fleet commander Sokolov and 105 others were injured during a September 22 strike on Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, Crimea.
On 5th September, the Ukraine Governor Kiper said that one person was killed and port and agricultural infrastructure damaged in a drone attack on Izmail.
Edited by Virginia Van Zandt and Newsdesk Manager
