Authorities say there was an airstrike on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa on the Black Sea on Sunday morning. As the city council announced on the news channel Telegram, fires broke out in “some areas”. Ukrainian media published photos of smoke over Odessa. So it shouldn’t have caused any injuries.
According to the city authorities, “some missiles” were intercepted by anti-aircraft fire. This information could not be verified. The air raid siren went off early this morning. It was initially unclear whether it was fire from Russian warplanes or missiles.
Russia: “Important part of the infrastructure”
The Russian defense ministry says fuel depots near the port city of Odessa have been destroyed by rocket attacks. The fuel is being used to resupply Ukrainian troops in the Mykolaiv city area. According to the city council of Odessa, an important part of the “infrastructure” was affected. “We hope there are no deaths,” said city spokesman Sergei Bratschuk.
According to Russian information, a total of 51 military facilities in Ukraine, including four command posts and two missile defense systems, were hit on Sunday evening. This information could not be independently verified. Since the start of the war on February 24, the Russian army says it has destroyed a total of 125 Ukrainian aircraft and 88 helicopters, 383 drones, 221 anti-missile defense systems and 1,903 tanks and other armored vehicles.
Strategically important city
With its port, Odessa is of great importance for the supply of Ukraine. Unlike in Mariupol, there are no Russian troops in front of the city. But taking it is a strategic goal of the Russian army, experts have suspected for weeks – possibly also through attacks and a landing from the sea.
The latter scenario is still considered possible, but unlikely, British intelligence reports. The Russian naval forces would put themselves in danger if they landed, as the Ukrainian army had had enough time to prepare.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
