(Reuters) – Russian air strikes targeted Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa early on Sunday, resulting in one death, nearly 20 injuries, and significant damage to an Orthodox cathedral. The attack also destroyed six houses and apartment buildings, hospitalizing fourteen people, including four children, according to Ukrainian officials. The Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi Cathedral, a prominent landmark in Odesa’s historic city center and a UNESCO world heritage site, was badly damaged with parts of the building destroyed and rubble covering the floors.
Oleh Kiper, the governor of the Odesa region, described the attack as “another night attack of the monsters” on the Telegram messaging app. The Ukrainian military administration in Odesa reported that the Kasperovska icon of the Mother of God, the city’s patroness, was successfully retrieved from under the rubble.
Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged striking targets in the area but denied targeting the cathedral. Instead, they claimed that the building was likely hit by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. Russia has been launching missiles and drones at Odesa, particularly its food export facilities, since withdrawing from a grain export agreement earlier this week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the attack and promised retaliation for the “Russian terrorists” responsible. However, the Russian Defense Ministry argued that all targets in Odesa were destroyed and dismissed Ukrainian reports of the cathedral strike as false.
Recently, Russia has shifted its air attack tactics, using a “swarm” approach with successive waves of weapons, making it harder to defend against, according to pro-Kremlin military bloggers. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched high-precision Onyx and sea-to-shore Kalibr cruise missiles on Odesa, including Iskander ballistic missiles, which the city’s air defense systems partially intercepted.
Russia claims that its attacks on Odesa are in response to a Ukrainian strike on a Russian-built bridge to Crimea. The cathedral hit on Sunday belongs to the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which is the country’s second-largest Church. Ukraine accuses the UOC of maintaining links to the pro-invasion Russian Orthodox Church, although the UOC denies this.
Ukraine also alleges that many of the missiles and drones targeting Odesa are launched from Crimea, which is beyond the reach of most of Ukraine’s weapons systems. In light of the ongoing attacks, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, made a plea on Telegram for more anti-rocket systems and long-range ATACMS missiles from the United States, which Kiev has requested but has yet to receive.
Reporting by Max Hunder, Gleb Garanich, and Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv, Felix Light in London, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Paul Simao, Richard Chang, and Frances Kerry
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