Russian Missile Strikes Reportedly Killed 18 People in Odesa Region
About 18 people, including one child, have reportedly died in Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region.
According to the State Emergency Service – DSNS, 16 people were killed and 30 injured when one missile hit a nine-story building in the Serhiyivka village. Two more people, including the child, were killed in a separate strike at the village’s recreation center.
Reports say Russia has fired dozens of missiles on Ukrainian cities in the past few days. The DSNS said the missiles hit Serhiyivka in the early hours of today. It released footage showing firefighters searching for survivors in the wreckage of the nine-story building.
On his part, Odesa’s Regional Administration spokesman, Serhiy Bratchuk said the missiles were launched from Russian warplanes over the Black Sea. He said Soviet-era X-22 missiles were believed to have been used in the overnight strikes. Meanwhile, Moscow has so far made no public comment.
Meanwhile, The Kremlin has dismissed reports from Ukrainian officials that Russian missiles struck residential areas in Odesa early on Friday morning and reiterated its claim that Moscow does not target civilians.
“I would like to remind you of the president’s words that the Russian Armed Forces do not work with civilian targets,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on a conference call with reporters”.
Ukrainian authorities had earlier said Russian missiles hit an apartment building and two-holiday camps in the region, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens of others.
