A Russian air strike on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa has hit a residential property, killing at least two people.
Local authorities confirmed the deaths on Friday following a missile attack that tore through civilian areas. Oleksandr Filatov, the deputy mayor of Odesa, verified the fatalities directly from the scene of the strike.
Regional officials stated that eight other individuals sustained injuries during the attack, including two children. The shockwaves and debris caused extensive damage across the neighbourhood, affecting residential blocks, a nursery school, a local religious institution, and several civilian vehicles.
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cross-border strikes from both militaries have intensified significantly. The recent escalation over the past few months has led to a worrying rise in casualties among ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire.
According to data compiled by the United Nations, the high intensity of the fighting has made June the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since the initial weeks of the conflict in the spring of 2022.
Emergency teams remain on the ground in Odesa to clear the rubble and search for any survivors trapped within the damaged properties.
