The death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odessa on Friday has risen to at least 20 more people and at least 75 others wounded, in the deadliest attack on Moscow in weeks, Ukraine reported. officials said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia would get a “fair response” from Ukrainian forces for what he called a “despicable” attack on a city that has been attacked with Russian drones or missiles almost every day this month.
Two Iskander-M missiles fired from the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula have smashed civilian infrastructure and fuel and power supply lines in the southern city, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on national television on Friday.
Some citizens suffered fuel and power cuts after the attacks, he added.
“The explosion was very loud, especially the second one. . . This is a very rugged missile that flies out of occupied Crimea in a matter of minutes,” Kiper said.
A doctor and a paramedic were killed by a second missile after rushing to the scene to treat others injured in the initial attack. Ten other people were seriously injured, Kiper added.
“Our defense forces will do everything possible to make the Russian murderers feel our just response,” Zelensky said on Telegram.
Residents rushed to donate blood, leading to queues at medical centers. Saturday has been declared a day of mourning.
Twelve people, five children, were killed in a drone strike on a residential building in Odessa on March 2.
On March 6, Zelensky informed Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the destruction caused by this attack when Russia attacked the town again, killing at least five people.
Odessa, one of Ukraine’s largest ports, has long been the target of Russian attacks, especially after Moscow reneged on a U. N. -brokered agreement allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to pass through the Black Sea.
“Russian terror in Odessa is a sign of the weakness of the enemy, who is fighting Ukrainian civilians at a time when he cannot guarantee the protection of other people on his own territory,” the Ukrainian president’s leader, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine has been attacking with long-range drones in an attempt to retaliate against Russia, stepping up attacks on a number of oil refineries this week ahead of Russia’s three-day presidential election, which began on Friday.
Moscow has continuously denied that its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, introduced in February 2022, has targeted civilians.