News Feed

3 killed, 12 injured in Russian missile strike on Odesa Oblast

2 min read
3 killed, 12 injured in Russian missile strike on Odesa Oblast
A Russian ballistic missile strike hit the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa Oblast on June 23, 2025, destroying a local educational institution. (Oleh Kiper / Telegram)

Three people were killed and at least 12 others injured after a Russian ballistic missile strike hit the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa Oblast on June 23, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

The attack targeted a local educational institution, destroying the building and leaving several people, including members of the teaching staff, possibly trapped under the rubble. No children were present at the time due to summer holidays, Kiper said.

As of 4:00 p.m. local time, three of the wounded were reported in serious condition, while the others — including two teenagers — were being treated for moderate injuries. The Air Force reported tracking two high-speed ballistic targets heading toward the city shortly before the strike.

Later in the day, Kiper reported that a 60-year-old woman died of her wounds at the hospital. Eight victims remained hospitalized as of 9:00 p.m. local time, while the rest were receiving outpatient care.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, a historic Black Sea city known for its Akkerman Fortress, lies near the mouth of the Dniester River.

Under international humanitarian law, the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure such as schools is forbidden and may constitute a war crime. Russia has repeatedly struck non-military sites throughout its full-scale invasion.

Earlier the same day, Russia launched another mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least eight people and injuring 33 others, including four children, according to city officials.

Avatar
Tim Zadorozhnyy

Reporter

Tim Zadorozhnyy is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. He studied International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University and Coventry University and is now based in Warsaw. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022, working as a reporter at a local television channel. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half with the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor. Tim is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

Read more
News Feed
Russia

The unnamed project, lacking a defined team or political platform, seeks to offer an alternative to the Kremlin at a time when Russia's opposition operates largely from abroad and remains fractured, with its ability to influence domestic politics remaining low.

Video

Hungary is heading into what could be its most consequential election in decades — and Ukraine has become a central issue in the campaign. The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek reports from Budapest, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban, after 16 years in power, is facing his strongest challenge yet from opposition leader Peter Magyar.

Show More