A new wave of Russian strikes on Odesa has killed one person and damaged a historic cathedral, as missiles again rained down on the southern Ukrainian city.
Authorities said 22 people were injured in the attacks in the early hours of Sunday, including a number of children. One strike hit the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was built in the late 18th century, destroyed under Joseph Stalin and then rebuilt in the early 2000s.
Russia has been pounding the port city for a week after pulling out of the Black Sea grain initiative last Monday, a deal that allowed for Ukrainian grain to be shipped around the world from Odesa.
Since then, the Russian military has said it intends to destroy Ukraine’s Black Sea port infrastructure, and that all ships bound for Odesa may be considered parties to the conflict and thus legitimate targets.
The Ukrainian military said Russia used Iskander, Kalibr, Onix and other missiles in the strikes on Sunday. Some were intercepted by air defence systems but several got through.
Oleh Kiper, the Odesa regional governor, said six residential buildings had been damaged or destroyed in the strikes on Sunday morning.
Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s security council, wrote on Facebook: “The main purpose of the Russian missile attacks on Odesa and the region is an attempt to cut off Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea, and to use intimidation to prevent and neutralise international efforts to restore the functioning of the grain corridor.”
