During the southern Ukraine offensive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the city of Odesa and the surrounding region have been the target of shelling and air strikes by Russian forces on multiple occasions since the conflict began, fired predominantly from Russian warships situated offshore in the Black Sea. The city has also been targeted by Russian cruise missiles.
Equipment seized from alleged Russian saboteurs in Odesa, 27February
The first Russian airstrikes against Odesa occurred on the first day of the invasion, early on 24 February 2022, targeting warehouses in the city as well as radar and air defense systems in Lipetske. The attacks left at least 22 killed and 6 wounded among servicemen and soldiers.[3][4] Ukrainian authorities also reported that Russian shelling targeted the military airport in Odesa and destroyed one aircraft.[11] Russian saboteurs had begun operating in Odesa by 27February, as Ukrainian authorities detained them and confiscated their equipment. Evacuation trains began taking civilians out of the city towards Chernivtsi and Uzhhorod on 2March, with further evacuation trains operating on 8March.[12]
At around 12:00 local time on 2March 2022, Russian forces shelled the village of Dachne to the north-west of Odesa, damaging a natural gas pipeline and setting fire to nine houses and a garage. This was followed on 3March by the shelling of the nearby villages of Zatoka[13] and Bilenke, killing at least one civilian in the latter village.[14] Russian warships also shelled the Ukrainian civilian vessel Helt in the port of Odesa, causing it to sink.[15]
On 5March 2022, one Russian Mil Mi-8 of registration number RF-91165 was destroyed near Odesa.[16][17] A new brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine was founded in Odesa on 8March, after initial complaints by civilians in the city wishing to join the defence force of a lack of organisation as they were sent home without weapons.[18]
Russian attacks in Odesa intensified towards the end of March. During the morning of 21March 2022, Russian warships reappeared offshore and began shelling targets in Odesa including the port, before Ukrainian coastal artillery returned fire and drove them back out into the Black Sea.[19] On 25March, Ukrainian air defences claimed to shot down three cruise missiles over the Black Sea which were on course to strike targets in and around Odesa.[20] Ukraine claimed two more Russian cruise missiles were shot down off the coast of Odesa on 27March,[21] although the city subsequently came under heavy mortar fire according to a statement on Telegram by Serhii Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odesa military administration.[22]
On 13 April 2022, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych and Odesa governorMaksym Marchenko said that the Russian cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, had been hit by two Neptune anti-ship missiles and was on fire in rough seas.[2] The missiles were apparently launched in or near Odesa at Moskva located 60 to 65 nautical miles offshore.[23][24] The Russian Ministry of Defence said that a fire had caused munitions to explode, and that the ship had been seriously damaged and the crew fully evacuated, without any reference to a Ukrainian strike.[25] The following day, the ship sunk as it was attempting to reach port for repairs.[2] Russia stated one sailor from the Moskva was killed and 27 were missing, while 396 crewmembers were rescued.[1] However, according to Ukrainian sources, there were anywhere from 500 to 700 crewmembers on board, and that only 100 of them had survived.[26]
On 23 April 2022, a Russian missile strike hit a military facility and two residential buildings,[27] killing eight civilians and wounding 18 or 20, according to Ukraine.[9] Russia confirmed the attack stating the facility targeted was a logistic terminal at a military airfield that housed US and European weapons given to Ukraine.[28]
Shopping mall in Fontanka village near Odesa, destroyed on 9 May
On 27 April 2022, Russian forces attacked Zatoka Bridge with the aim of disconnecting the city of Odesa with the rest of the country at the east of Dniester river.[29][needs update]
On 1 May 2022, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Russian forces destroyed the newly built runway of the Odesa Airport. Ukrainian officials said Russian forces used a Bastion missile for the attack.[30] The city was bombed again on 7 May, with four missiles hitting a civilian building and another two on the city airport.[31] On 7 May, a Ukrainian Naval Aviation Mil Mi-14, piloted by Col. Igor Bedzai was shot down near Odesa by a Russian jetfighter after a mission on Snake Island, five servicemen were lost.[32][5][33]
On 9 May 2022, Russia fired three Kinzhal missiles to Odesa Oblast. At that time, President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal were in Odesa and had to hide in a bomb shelter. In the evening of the same day, Russian troops fired rockets at three warehouses in Odesa and a shopping centre in the village of Fontanka near the city. One person was killed, and two people were injured in the warehouses, and three people were injured in the mall.[34]
On 23 July 2022, less than a day after signing a grain export deal with Ukraine, Russia launched Kalibr missiles at the Odesa sea trade port. According to Ukraine, two of the four missiles were intercepted.[36] Russian officials told Turkey that Russia had "nothing to do" with the missile strike.[37] The next day, Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Defence, confirmed the strike, claiming that it destroyed a Ukrainian warship and a warehouse of Harpoon anti-ship missiles.[6] However, no Ukrainian warship was reported lost, and all remain accounted for.
As of 26 July 2022, as a result of rocket attacks in Odesa, eleven civilians were killed: eight (including a three-month-old girl) as a result of an attack on the residential complex "Tiras" on 23 April; one teenager during the attack on the dormitory on 2 May, one employee of the warehouse during the attack on the Suvorovsky district of Odesa on 9 May and a warehouse guard on 20 June.[38]
In the night on 19 July 2023, Russia carried out further missile and drone attacks on the Port of Odesa after withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Grain and oil terminals were damaged. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture claims 60,000 tonnes of grain were destroyed in the attacks.[39]
In the night on July 20, a new attack destroyed an administrative building in Odesa and storage buildings in Odesa region. Among others, the building of the Chinese Consulate General[40] and three museums in the buffer zone of the World Heritage site “The Historic Centre of Odesa” (Archaeological, Maritime and Museum of Literature) were damaged. UNESCO condemned the attack.[41][42]
On July 22/23, Russian missiles hit Odesa, including the historic centre, again. 25 architectural monuments were damaged according to local authorities.[43]Transfiguration Cathedral, largest in the city, was partially destroyed. The cathedral was of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, which has headquarters in Russia.[44][45] The House of Scientists was also strongly damaged. At least 6 residential buildings were damaged; one person was killed and 19 injured.[46]
On the evening of 5 November and on the night of 6 November, Russian army attacked Odesa and the region with missiles and kamikaze drones. Some of the drones were shot down, but there were also hits on the port infrastructure (including storage facilities and vehicles with grain). The missiles damaged Odesa Fine Arts Museum and several residential buildings. 8 people were injured.[47][48][49] The attack was condemned by UNESCO.[50]
On 29 December, during Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine, 21 residential buildings (19 multi-storey and 2 private), as well as a lyceum, were damaged in Odesa. 4 people died and 26 were injured in the city.[51][52][53]
2024
Residential building in Odesa after drone attack on 2March
As of 23 February 2024, 119 objects of cultural significance were damaged or destroyed in Odesa Oblast.[54]
In the night on 2 March, a 9-storey residential building in Odesa was partially destroyed due to Russian drone attack. 12 people (including 5 children) were killed and 9 were injured. The next day was declared a day of mourning in Odesa region.[55][56]
On 15 March, a missile strike on Odesa killed 21 people and injured at least 73 others.[59] The casualties included senior military and police officers, as well as several civilians.[60]
International reactions
Denise Brown, UN official and the Head of the United Nations in Ukraine, condemned Russian attacks on grain storage facilities and port infrastructure, aggravating global food security: "Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be respected – they should never be a target".[61][62] The UN called Russian bombing of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Odesa a possible war crime.[63]
Amnesty International also condemned Russian attacks on Odesa: "...Russia’s threat to treat all ships travelling to Ukrainian ports through the Black Sea as carriers of military equipment reveals its readiness to strip those most in need of critical food supplies for its own military aims and sends a clear message that Russian forces are prepared to commit new war crimes. By stepping up its war of aggression in this manner, Russia is holding some of the world’s lowest income countries hostage to its military and political agenda."[64]
The Kh-22 "Storm" is a large, long-range anti-ship missile developed by MKB Raduga in the Soviet Union. It was designed for use against aircraft carriers and carrier battle groups, with either a conventional or nuclear warhead. Kh-32 is an updated conventional variant of the Kh-22 and was accepted to service in 2016; it features an improved rocket motor and a new seeker head.
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The House of Scientists in Odesa is a public institution established in 1923 to unite scientists from various scientific institutions and higher schools in the Odesa area. It was one of a number of Houses of Scientists established across the Soviet Union and the first established in Ukraine.
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1 2 "Russia says strike on Ukrainian port hit military targets". Associated Press. 23 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022. Long-range missiles destroyed a docked Ukrainian warship and a warehouse holding Harpoon anti-ship missiles supplied by the U.S., Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a daily briefing.
↑ "UN strongly condemns Russian strikes in Odesa, Ukraine". UN News. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023. Furthermore, the attacks contradict recent statements by Russian authorities concerning precautions taken to spare World Heritage sites in Ukraine, including their buffer zones, the agency said, adding that intentional destruction of cultural sites may amount to a war crime.
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