The Russian ballistic missile attack on a postal depot in Odesa on May 1 destroyed 15.5 metric tons of shipments worth almost Hr 3 million ($76,000), Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest privately owned parcel delivery service, reported on May 2.
Several explosions were reported in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa at 10 p.m. local time almost immediately after an air raid alert went off in the region.
Photos and videos published on social media and by the State Emergency Service showed a large warehouse on fire.
Russia claimed the warehouse was a weapons storage facility, Nova Poshta said.
The attack "destroyed not only our depot," but also 904 shipments "from online stores with clothes, appliances, children's toys, goodies for pets, medicines," and parcels from relatives, Nova Poshta said.
The costs of the destroyed parcels will be compensated, according to the company.
The attack injured 14 people, but none of the 18 employees working in the depot were among the casualties because they managed to reach the bomb shelter in time, Nova Poshta co-owner Volodymyr Popereshniuk said on Facebook.
A postal depot of Nova Poshta was hit by Russia in the village of Korotych in Kharkiv Oblast in October 2023. The attack killed seven people and injured over 10 others.
Popereshniuk announced that Nova Poshta would arrange additional bomb shelters in its depots following the strike.
Elsa Court
(Updated: )
