The escalating drone and missile attacks between Russia and Ukraine have been causing tensions to rise. According to the Ukrainian government, Russian airstrikes on the Black Sea port city of Odessa have resulted in 3 deaths, while the Russian side claims that 340 Ukrainian drones flew towards Moscow in the past 24 hours.
On Wednesday, Odessa military administrative official Serhiy Lysak reported on Telegram that Russian forces had carried out airstrikes on the Black Sea port city of Odessa, resulting in 3 fatalities and 3 injured individuals being hospitalized.
Lysak mentioned that some residential buildings suffered severe damage in the attack but did not provide further details.
In recent days, Russia has intensified its attacks on the Ukrainian Black Sea deep-water ports known as the “Great Odessa Group,” which are crucial for Ukraine’s foreign trade and wartime economy.
Governor of Odessa Oblast Oleh Kiper stated on Tuesday that Russian military launched drone attacks on the port infrastructure in the region, resulting in two deaths. He mentioned that a civilian ship flying the flag of the Marshall Islands was damaged during the attack.
Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin reported on Tuesday that in the past 24 hours, Ukraine launched 340 drones towards the outskirts of Moscow, with most of them being shot down by the anti-aircraft forces outside the city.
Sobyanin wrote on Telegram: “More than 50 enemy drones were shot down on their way to Moscow.”
Ukraine has also increased its airstrikes on Russian infrastructure, mainly targeting the petroleum industry. Due to Ukrainian drones frequently approaching the Russian capital, Sobyanin updates the anti-aircraft forces in real-time on the number of downed drones.
On Tuesday, the Ukrainian military announced that drone strikes were carried out on the Salavat petrochemical complex in the Urals region and the Afipsky refinery in southern Russia. These attacks on petroleum infrastructure have caused gasoline shortages throughout Russia.
Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the Russian military has heightened its drone and missile attacks on Kyiv. In the early hours of Tuesday, Russia launched a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv, marking the fifth wave of such attacks launched on Ukraine this month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned that 16 facilities in the capital were damaged in the Russian attacks, including a school and a business. Additionally, Kyiv city officials reported multiple fires breaking out throughout the city due to the attacks.