Russian missile attack damages residential buildings in Odesa, injures at least 14

Russia carried out a missile attack on Odesa overnight on Aug. 9, damaging residential buildings and injuring at least 14 people in the city, officials said.

Eleven of the injured victims were hospitalized, with one in serious condition, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported. Previously, the regional administration said that most of the injured had shrapnel wounds.

In two districts,  several residential buildings were damaged or partially destroyed, with residents' cars destroyed and damaged by fire, according to the administration.

Photos and videos posted to social media show fires burning at several high-rise residential buildings and homes in the city.

Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK said that energy infrastructure came under attack, triggering power cuts in the city, which have also interrupted the water supply. DTEK expects water to flow again through the course of the morning, and are working on repairs to the power grid.

"The damage is severe, and repairs will take time. Energy workers across the Odesa region are doing everything possible to restore the electricity supply as quickly as possible," DTEK posted on its Telegram channel.

In his evening address on Aug. 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 300,000 families in Odesa were left without power the morning after the attack. Power has been restored to a third of those affected, he said.

Repair and recovery efforts in Odesa are ongoing.

Ukraine's Air Force warned of the attack beginning around 3:30 a.m. local time moments prior to explosions being heard in the city, with additional waves of missile attacks reported later into the night.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces later said that Russia deployed 11 missiles on "a ballistic trajectory" against Odesa, along with almost 100 drones, 72% of which were intercepted.

However, they only downed one of the 11 missiles.

Located in southern Ukraine off the Black Sea, the port city of Odesa has served as a regular target of Russian attacks given its proximity to Russian-occupied Crimea. Russian forces have intensified attacks on Odesa and the surrounding region this summer, coinciding with the peak tourist season, when thousands of visitors travel to the Black Sea coast.

The city has been targeted with both drones and missiles, including Banderol missiles, which Russia has used to strike port infrastructure in the region.

The attacks have also damaged dozens of civilian vessels passing through Odesa’s ports and caused casualties among crew members.