The port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine was targeted by Russian missile attacks on Saturday night. A residential building and a grain warehouse were hit, Ukrainian media reported this morning. The Russian military fired “Oniks” missiles, which are normally used against sea targets, from launch sites on the occupied Crimean peninsula. Initially there was no information available about possible victims.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the rapid strengthening of Ukraine’s energy system for the winter in view of expected new Russian attacks. “It is very important to win this winter, overcome all difficulties and provide protection to our people,” Zelensky said in his daily video address on Friday.
Last autumn and winter, Russia massively attacked the neighboring country’s energy infrastructure and plunged many Ukrainians into cold and darkness for months. Russia’s leadership always repeats its mistakes and evils. “And when they don’t achieve something, they think they probably didn’t do enough harm to succeed,” Zelensky said. He was therefore convinced that Russia would bomb the energy system even more this winter than last year.
According to the Ukrainian president, this time the country is better prepared for such attacks – among other things thanks to anti-aircraft defenses provided by the West. In this context, he thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for agreeing to another Patriot system. But he also called on regional authorities to stabilize the power grid so they can better deal with individual impacts.
Zelensky also recalled recent Russian rocket attacks in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine, in which dozens of civilians were injured and killed. The devastating attacks on the village of Hrosa and the city of Kharkiv itself caused international horror.
After these Russian missile attacks, Moscow citizens also laid flowers at a memorial to the victims. Almost all yellow and blue flowers – Ukraine’s national colors – were sold in the neighborhood, independent internet portal Astra said, citing an eyewitness on Friday. A video shows flower arrangements at the Lesya Ukrainka monument. However, city authorities are said to have continued to remove the flowers.
On Friday evening, Kharkiv city authorities reported the cessation of rescue and search work. On Friday morning, a ten-year-old boy and his grandmother died when a rocket hit the Ukrainian town, near the border with Russia. 30 people were injured, twelve of whom had to be hospitalized. The day before, according to official information, 52 people were killed in a Russian rocket attack on a cafe in a village in the Kharkiv region. The Russian leadership denies that it is also bombing civilian targets in its war of aggression against the neighboring country.