'Hellish night' for Ukraine as Russia launches another air strike on Odesa

The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement Wednesday (July 19) that Russia had launched overnight air attacks on the Ukrainian port of Odesa. The attack comes just a day after Moscow carried out air attacks on Ukraine's south and east using drones and possibly ballistic missiles.

On Wednesday, Ukraine claimed that Russian forces launched more than 60 airstrikes on Ukraine overnight. The air force said that the Russian barrage included Kalibr, Kh-22 and Oniks cruise missiles, and Iran-made Shahed-136/131 UAVs. The statement added that Ukrainian air defences destroyed 14 cruise missiles and 23 drones.

As reported by news agency Reuters, Serhiy Bratchuk, who is the spokesperson for the Odesa military administration, said in a voice message on his Telegram channel on Wednesday that the attack was "very powerful, truly massive". He added that "it was a hellish night". Bratchuk said that details on damage and casualties would come later.

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Odesa's mayor said that the Russian aerial assault was "one of the most horrible nights" of the war. Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said on Facebook: "We do not recall such a scale of attack since the beginning of a full-scale invasion."

"We are getting stronger from our righteous fury! We are grateful to the air defence system. It was a fierce air battle," Trukhanov said.

The attack comes against the backdrop of Russia suspending its participation in the Black Sea grain export deal on Monday, just hours before it was supposed to expire. Moscow said that it will only return to the deal if its conditions are met.

The deal aimed to alleviate a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked because of the conflict to be exported safely. It was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July.

The region of Odesa remained a crucial point ever since the war started. It is home to maritime terminals that were key to the expired grain export agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.

Air attacks on Kyiv

Air defence systems were engaged in repelling the attack on Kyiv, the capital's military administration said on the Telegram channel. Air raid alerts could be heard in the capital on Wednesday morning, Reuters reported.

"A difficult night of air attacks for all of Ukraine, especially in the south, in Odesa," Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's city military administration, said on the Telegram channel.

Fire at military base in Crimea

Meanwhile, on the Russian front, the Moscow-backed governor of Crimea said on Wednesday that a fire that broke out at the military training grounds in the Kirovske district on the Crimean Peninsula forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 people and the closure of a nearby highway.

(With inputs from agencies)

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