Russia’s military on Friday launched a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Odesa, according to local officials.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said the center of the Black Sea port city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was among the areas hit during the assault.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Odesa’s grand opera house and the five-star Hotel Bristol, a landmark constructed 19th century, were damaged during the shelling. Zelensky added that Norwegian diplomatic representatives were in the epicenter of the attack but avoided harm.
Why It Matters
Russia’s attack on Odesa follows the Ukrainian military’s recent drone strikes on Russian oil facilities. Ukraine’s drone operations are designed to bankrupt Moscow’s ability to continue funding the war, and the damage on oil production and processing facilities has also impacted Russia’s economy.
Damage is seen in Odesa, Ukraine, following a Russian missile attack on January 31, 2025.
Damage is seen in Odesa, Ukraine, following a Russian missile attack on January 31, 2025.
Photo by OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP via Getty Images
In 2024, Ukraine conducted more than 80 drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and depots, and Russia’s average daily production of crude oil dropped to a new low not seen in 20 years.
Meanwhile, Russian advances in Ukraine have fallen to a six-month low, dropping to levels not seen since before Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, according to a post earlier this week by news outlet Agentstvo on Telegram.
The slowing pace of advance suggests that Moscow may be finding it difficult to continue to sustain the war in Ukraine because of manpower and equipment shortages, as well as increasing economic problems.
What To Know
Kiper on Friday reported explosions in Odea while Hennadiy Trukhanov, the city’s mayor, wrote on Telegram that a building receiving special protection was among the damaged sites in the UNESCO-protected part of Odesa. Trukhanov also said two people were taken to a hospital due to injuries sustained during the attack.
Numerous photos and videos have been posted across social media showing the damage on historic sites.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense via online form and emailed the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Friday for comment.
What People Are Saying
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the Odesa attack was “a completely deliberate strike by Russian terrorists.”
He added, “Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. Some people were wounded and have received assistance. Among those caught in the epicenter of the attack were Norwegian diplomatic representatives.
“All circumstances of the strike are being investigated. We are doing everything we can to help people.”
What Happens Next
During his nightly video address, Zelensky used the attack on Odesa as a call for bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses.
“We need faster deliveries and greater numbers of systems and weapons which will enable us to save the lives of more of our soldiers, our people,” he said, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.