Russian forces launched missile strikes on Odesa’s historic center on the evening of Jan. 31, injuring at least two people, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.
Three explosions were reported around 8 p.m. local time, shortly after Ukraine’s Air Force warned of missile launches from the Black Sea.
"The strikes are directly targeting the city, hitting ordinary civilian buildings. Again and again: Air defense systems are the first priority," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Videos and photos shared on social media show damage to the five-star Bristol Hotel. One of the injured is a hotel employee, according to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper. Debris also fell near the Opera House, a well-known downtown landmark.
Trukhanov said the attack caused significant damage in Odesa’s UNESCO-protected historic district.
The city's historic center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in January 2023. In July of that year, a Russian missile strike damaged over 20 architectural monuments and heavily hit the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Odesa, a port city on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war.
Martin Fornusek
