A Russian drone and missile attack on Odesa the night of Nov. 5 caused significant damage to the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov told Suspilne.
The mayor said the attack nearly destroyed several important works.
"A little bit here, a little bit there, and we could have lost many of our pieces, exhibits that are very famous all over the world. Fortunately, this did not happen," Trukhanov said.
The attack caused multiple explosions and left five people hospitalized with shrapnel wounds.
Trukhanov also said the strike damaged the roof of a residential building, and that the city administration is working to assist residents who suffered property damage.
"In the morning, our district administration will be working to draw up documents to help all those who have suffered here," he said.
The mayor also told Suspilne that Odesa's water supply system had been damaged.
"The situation is not easy now because the water supply system is damaged, and the pressure is quite high. The situation is under control, but we will need a very thorough examination to be sure that everything is fine," he said.
The Odesa Fine Arts Museum houses over 10,000 works of art. Its galleries are located in the Potocki Palace, one of the city's oldest palaces.
Russian attacks on the city have damaged many of Odesa's historic sites since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
UNESCO has condemned the repeated strikes on Odesa's cultural heritage sites and added the city to its list of World Heritage in Danger areas in 2023.
