Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
The aftermath of the Russian latest missile attack on Odesa on July 23. (Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram)
The Russian missile attack on the historical center of Odesa overnight has damaged 25 historical buildings in the city, Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Head of the President’s Office, reported on July 23.
One civilian was killed, and 21 were injured, including four children, as Russian forces hit the residential area in downtown Odesa, according to the report.
“This is another attempt to kill peaceful Ukrainians, erase our history, and destroy our heritage of global significance,’ Kuleba said in a Telegram post.
Local authorities said after the attack that two architectural landmarks were badly damaged or destroyed. This includes Odesa’s historic Transfiguration Cathedral, which belongs to the branch of the Russian Orthodox Church active in Ukraine.
The Transfiguration Cathedral was founded in 1794. The original building was destroyed by the Soviet regime in 1936, and the new cathedral was built in 2003.
The attack was condemned numerous nations, including Italy, which pledged to contribute to restoration efforts.
"Italy, with its unique world-class expertise in the restoration field, is ready to join in the reconstruction of the cathedral and other treasures of Ukraine's cultural heritage," Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni said, as cited by Italy's Embassy in Ukraine on July 23.
Russian forces struck Odesa repeatedly this week, launching missiles at valuable infrastructure and historical downtown, killing and wounding civilians.
On July 21, UNESCO condemned the Russian military attacks on Odesa's historic center, named a World Heritage site in January this year.
Under the terms of the World Heritage Convention, the 194 states committed not to any step that may directly or indirectly damage the World Heritage site and to assist in its protection.
Odesa’s historic center has been inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, according to UNESCO, the UN cultural agency.
Alexander Khrebet is a reporter with the Kyiv Independent. He covers Ukraine’s foreign policy, alleged abuse of power in the country’s military leadership, and reports on the Russian-occupied territories. Alexander is the European Press Prize 2023 winner, the #AllForJan Award 2023 winner and Ukraine's 2022 National Investigative Journalism Award finalist. His was published in the Washington Times and Atlantic Council.
Anastasiia Lapatina
