Beneath the Barrage: Odessa’s Desperate Struggle to Endure Russia’s Relentless Rocket Onslaught

2024-10-09 21:16:00

According to authorities, at least six people died in a Russian missile strike in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa. Eleven others were injured, seven of them seriously. “The enemy’s target was once again the port infrastructure,” the region’s military governor, Oleh Kiper, wrote on Telegram. According to him, a civilian container ship flying the Panama flag was hit. The victims are Ukrainian citizens.

According to Kiper, this is the third attack on a civilian ship in the past four days. Russia is trying to block the grain corridor set up by Ukraine. Already at the beginning of its war of aggression, Russia sealed off the Ukrainian seaports. Because of Ukraine’s importance for the global agricultural market, both countries agreed to establish a grain corridor for a limited period of time. Moscow allowed the agreement to expire in July 2023. Later, Kiev itself organized a sea route – including by driving Russian warships out of the western Black Sea.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military says it has attacked and destroyed a drone camp in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar. The General Staff in Kiev said that another explosion was recorded after a direct hit. Accordingly, around 400 Iranian Shahed drones were stored in the attacked building. Russian authorities have confirmed at least one fire in a warehouse near the town of Oktyabrsky.

“The destruction of the Shahed drone camp will significantly reduce the ability of the Russian occupiers to terrorize peaceful residents of Ukrainian cities and villages,” the Ukrainian side said.

The area was cordoned off over a large area and around 800 square meters were in flames, the regional operations staff in the Krasnodar region said. The coordinates match the drone strike reported by Kyiv. However, the operations staff did not provide any information about the cause of the fire or the objects stored there.

Russia did not initially comment on the Ukrainian information. Iran is accused by Western governments of supplying both drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine. Great Britain, France, Germany and the USA therefore imposed new sanctions against Tehran at the beginning of September.

The Krasnodar region lies east of the Russian-annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and is about 150 kilometers from the Ukrainian-controlled areas on the front line. Authorities there said a “warehouse fire” had broken out in Oktyabrsky, covering an area of ​​about 800 square meters.

Videos allegedly recorded in the region and shared on online networks showed a large fireball in the night sky and several sources of flames.

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Ukraine Under Siege: Russia’s Continued Missile Strikes on Odesa

As the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues to escalate, reports of devastating missile strikes on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa have been flooding the news. The most recent attack, which occurred on October 9, 2024, has left at least six people dead and eleven others injured, with seven of them seriously wounded [[1]]. This horrific event comes on the heels of a series of similar attacks that have targeted civilian infrastructure and ships in the region.

The tragic loss of life and destruction caused by these strikes cannot be understated. As reported by Oleh Kiper, the region’s military governor, the enemy’s target was once again the port infrastructure, which has been repeatedly hit in recent weeks [[1]]. A civilian container ship flying the Panama flag was among the affected vessels, and the victims are all Ukrainian citizens.

This latest attack marks the third strike on a civilian ship in the past four days, a disturbing trend that underscores Russia’s relentless efforts to block the grain corridor established by Ukraine [[1]]. The grain corridor, which was set up to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain to the global market, has been a contentious issue between the two countries.

In the early stages of the war, Russia sealed off the Ukrainian seaports, severely impacting Ukraine’s agricultural industry [[1]]. An agreement was subsequently reached to establish a grain corridor for a limited period, which allowed for the export of grain from Ukraine. However, Moscow allowed the agreement to expire in July 2023.

The recent missile strikes on Odesa are not isolated incidents. According to CNN, at least 20 people were killed and scores injured in a previous Russian missile strike on the city in March 2024 [[2]]. The BBC also reported on an attack in April 2024, which left seven people dead in Odesa and Kharkiv [[3]].

The international community must condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms. Russia’s deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and ships is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and must be addressed. The world must stand in solidarity with Ukraine and demand that Russia ceases its aggressive actions and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues to escalate, with devastating consequences for the people of Ukraine. The repeated attacks on Odesa and its port infrastructure are a stark reminder of the danger and uncertainty faced by the people of Ukraine. As we report on these events, we must not lose sight of the human cost of this conflict and the need for a lasting resolution that promotes peace and stability in the region.