Ukrainian officials report civilian casualties and damage to residential areas and infrastructure in the Black Sea port city, while Russia-installed authorities at the occupied nuclear facility accuse Kyiv of a deadly drone attack.
Russian forces launched a fresh wave of drone and missile strikes on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, injuring at least 11 people, including children, and damaging residential buildings, a hotel, and other civilian infrastructure, local authorities said.
The overnight attack, which Ukrainian air defences intercepted most of but allowed several projectiles to get through, comes amid escalating tit-for-tat accusations between Moscow and Kyiv over strikes near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Europe’s largest atomic facility, which has been under Russian occupation since early in the war.
Impact on civilians in Odesa:
Heavily damaged buildings were reported in Odesa’s historic centre, with shattered windows, collapsed sections of facades, and debris scattered across the streets. A man was seen standing amid the rubble of what appeared to be a hotel, speaking on a mobile phone.
Regional officials reported strikes hitting residential districts, including the Prymorskyi area, with shrapnel wounds among the injured. At least five people were hospitalised. A separate strike reportedly damaged port infrastructure.
“People were simply trying to live their lives,” one resident told local media, echoing a common sentiment in Ukrainian cities repeatedly targeted far from the front lines.
Ukrainian authorities have condemned the attacks as deliberate targeting of civilians, a charge Russia routinely denies, claiming its forces only strike military targets.
Nuclear plant claims:
Russia-installed administrators at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant claimed a Ukrainian drone struck the facility’s transport department on Monday, killing a driver.
“A driver was killed today when a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone struck the transport department at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” the statement said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has long warned of the risks posed by any military activity near the plant, which has been repeatedly shelled and lost external power multiple times during the conflict. Both sides have accused each other of endangering nuclear safety, though independent verification of the latest claim remains limited.
Escalating Conflict and Rising Civilian Impact:
The war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fourth year, continues to escalate with intensified strikes and drone operations on both sides.
Odesa, a key Black Sea port, remains under constant threat, while the United Nations has urged restraint, especially around sensitive sites like Zaporizhzhia. The ongoing clashes highlight the conflict’s heavy human toll and global impact.