Odesa struck by six missiles after Ukraine claim to sink Russian ship

The Ukrainian port city of Odesa was attacked by further Russian missile strikes on Saturday, as military officials in Kyiv claimed that one of their drones had sunk a second Russian ship in the Black Sea.

Natalia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern military command, said four missiles hit a furniture factory in a residential neighbourhood, while the other two impacted an already damaged runway strip. She also stated that information regarding casualties was being clarified.

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Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odesa regional administration, had stated that four missiles struck the Odesa region on Saturday, causing no injuries.

A counter-offensive against Russia appeared to be gathering steam in the north, where analysts predicted that Ukraine’s military would be able to push Russian forces out of artillery range of Kharkiv in the coming days.

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The Ukrainian claim to have destroyed another Russian ship, following the destruction of the battleship Moskva in the Black Sea last month, was backed by footage purporting to show a Bayraktar drone strike on a vessel stationed at Snake Island.

“The traditional parade of the Russian Black Sea fleet on 9 May this year will be held near Snake Island – at the bottom of the sea,” Ukrainian Ministry of Defence tweeted.

The Associated Press examined satellite photographs that showed the aftermath of an apparent Ukrainian drone strike on Russian fortifications on Snake Island on Friday, with heavy black smoke rising overhead.

Images from Snake Island’s northern beach showed what seemed to be a Russian Serna-class landing ship. They corresponded to another Ukrainian military video, which showed a drone strike hitting the vessel and engulfing it in flames.

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The Ukrainian deputy prime minister announced that all women, children, and the elderly have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel complex in Mariupol.

Ukraine reported 50 individuals were evacuated on Friday, but Russia accused Ukraine of breaking a truce meant to allow dozens more trapped at the plant to leave.

The final evacuees were joined by roughly 500 others who had been permitted to leave the factory and other sections of the city in recent days.

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Meanwhile, Russia’s top legislator accused the US of coordinating military actions in Ukraine, which he claimed amounted to direct US military action against Russia.

“Washington is essentially coordinating and developing military operations, thereby directly participating in military actions against our country,” Vyacheslav Volodin sent a message on his Telegram channel.

Washington and European NATO countries have provided heavy weapons to Kyiv in order to help it resist a Russian offensive that has resulted in the seizure of portions of eastern and southern Ukraine but has failed to take Kyiv.

However, the US and its NATO allies have consistently stated that they will not attack in order to avoid becoming participants in the conflict.