Ukraine pledges to "respond" after Russian missile attack on Odessa

Ukraine vowed to retaliate against Moscow on Sunday after Russia launched a fierce overnight missile attack on the coastal city of Odessa, resulting in the deaths of two people and damage to a historic cathedral. 

This came as Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, and their ally's first meeting since Lukashenko brokered a deal last month to end the armed rebellion by the Wagner Group against the Russian military command, which Putin described as a "failed" anti-attack.

In continuation of their intensified strikes on Odessa, Russia launched missile attacks on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of two people and 22 others injured, including four children, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Moscow fired "missiles against peaceful cities, residential buildings, and cathedrals," vowing "definite revenge" against the Russian terrorists for Odessa.

He added, "They will feel this retaliation."

Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko reported that the attacks killed two civilians, and 22 people, including four children, were injured, the oldest of whom is only 17 years old.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the enemy used a total of 19 different types of missiles, including ballistic missiles such as Iskander, Onyx, and Kalibr from the sea, nine of which were intercepted.

The missiles, which the Ukrainian air defense failed to deal with, caused damage to port infrastructure and hit at least six residential areas, including apartment buildings, causing power outages.

Odessa, located on the Black Sea, plays a strategic role in maritime transport and military supervision of this vital water body. However, the city has witnessed an increase in Russian targeting in the aftermath of Moscow's announcement of the termination of an agreement for the export of Ukrainian grains, with the Port of Odessa being a crucial outlet for such exports.

Ukraine accused Russia of focusing its attacks on Odessa to prevent a possible resumption of grain exports.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned the Russian strikes on "a number of museums" and historical buildings in central Odessa and confirmed the damage they suffered.

Russia insists that its strikes are directed at military targets, and on Sunday, it confirmed the destruction of designated targets in Odessa.

In the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko in St. Petersburg, Lukashenko asserted, "There is no anti-attack," to which Putin replied, "There is an attack, but it is a failure."

Putin stated that the meeting would certainly discuss security in their region.

The talks at the Konstantinovsky Palace will extend for two days and represent the first direct meeting between the presidents since Lukashenko mediated the end of the armed rebellion by the Wagner Group against the Russian military command, resulting in the group's elements being transferred to Belarus for amnesty, and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in Russia.

Lukashenko mentioned that the elements are requesting "permission" from him to go on a trip to Warsaw and Gyiv in Poland. However, he stated that he would keep them in central Belarus, as agreed. Putin responded with a smile.

On Saturday, a Russian journalist from the "RIA Novosti" agency, Rostislav Gorbylev, was also killed in a Ukrainian strike on the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine, according to the Russian army.

Russia described his death as a "deliberate crime" committed by Kyiv with premeditation and held the West "responsible" alongside Ukraine, vowing to respond to those responsible for the attack.

A Ukrainian military official told AFP that the strike targeted "military facilities."

The Zaporizhzhia region lies north of Odessa and houses the largest nuclear power station in Europe, which the Russians occupied after their invasion in February 2022.

TASS quoted a military official as saying that Russian forces repelled "three attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the direction of Radyvyliv" in the Zaporizhzhia region.

He added that the Russian forces managed to "destroy... tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and militants" used by Ukraine in these offensive attempts.


AFP