Overnight on December 13, Russia’s military launched a mass strike on Odesa with attack drones and missiles, sparking fires at sites of civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.
The strikes ignited administrative buildings as well as energy and industrial facilities, and caused power outages in parts of the region, Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram. He initially reported two people injured.
Later, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in Odesa region said four people were injured in the overnight assault. The agency reported damage to energy facilities, residential buildings, an administrative building, warehouses, civilian vehicles and a fire engine, and said more than 100 firefighters were deployed to contain the blazes.
“Since yesterday, Russia has continued to strike critical and civilian infrastructure in the Odesa region. All night, firefighters worked to extinguish fires caused by the hits. Despite constant air-raid alerts, rescuers put out a large blaze on a civilian vessel,” the SES said.
The local outlet Dumskaya, citing witnesses, reported a major fire at one of the substations. Unverified reports suggested about 10 energy facilities were damaged, leaving parts of the city without water, electricity and heat.
Earlier, during the nighttime barrage on Odesa, the port came under fire. Local media reported the vessel that caught fire may have been Turkish.
On December 11, Russian forces carried out what Ukrainian authorities called a “terrorist” strike on Sumy region, killing two women.
