On Thursday, the Ukrainian Air Force announced the interception of five cruise missiles and 13 attack drones launched by Russian forces the previous night, targeting the Mykolaiv and Odessa regions in the south.
It noted that Russia fired a total of 19 cruise missiles and 19 drones but did not specify where the other missiles fell. Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim revealed that at least 18 people were injured in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian coastal city of Mykolaiv on Thursday, while authorities in Odessa reported new strikes in the area.
Vitaliy Kim highlighted on Telegram that a three-story residential building was hit in the center of Mykolaiv, and emergency services rescued two people from the rubble. Earlier, he reported some fatalities but did not provide further information in subsequent messages.
Meanwhile, the Governor of the coastal Odessa region noted that "a building belonging to the Chinese consulate in the area sustained damage due to a missile and drone attack." Odessa administration spokesperson Serhiy Bratchuk stated that two individuals were hospitalized following a strike in Odessa that damaged a building and caused a fire, adding that there were reports of another strike outside the city.
Tensions around Ukraine's Black Sea ports have escalated following Russia's warning that it would consider vessels sailing to them as potential military targets starting Thursday, in the wake of Moscow's withdrawal from an agreement that ensured the safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments.
Crimea Governor Sergey Aksyonov, who was appointed by Russia, reported that a girl was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on a residential area in Crimea, indicating that four administrative buildings were damaged in the attack.
Aksyonov mentioned that the attack occurred in the northwestern part of the peninsula overlooking the Black Sea and expressed sorrow over the casualties, stating, "A girl lost her life. I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. We will provide all necessary support to her family."
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed in the region. Kyiv asserts that Crimea is Ukrainian and intends to reclaim it by force as part of its efforts to expel Russian troops from its territory.
On Wednesday, the Kremlin accused the West of turning a blind eye to what it called "terrorist attacks" carried out by Ukraine within Russia, pointing to this week's silence regarding an attack that left casualties on a bridge in Crimea, which Moscow blames Kyiv for.
