Ukraine’s army earlier warned that Russia had launched Kh-22 anti-ship missiles on both cities, Britain’s The Guardian newspaper reported.
In Odesa, a series of powerful explosions could be heard on the night of July 19-20, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported.
The blasts caused damage in the city centre, with a large fire breaking out and two people suffering injuries, according to officials.
Oleh Kiper, the head of the military administration in the Odesa region, said on the Telegram social messaging app that "there is destruction in the centre of Odesa as a result of the Russian attack."
He added: "A fire broke out over an area of 300 sq m. Specialists from the relevant services are working at the scene. It is known that two casualties have been hospitalised."
Kiper also said there had been "a strike on the Odesa province," details of which would be provided later, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Meanwhile, 18 people have been injured in the Russian attack on the fellow southern Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv, according to regional governor Vitaliy Kim.
Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said a strike on the city centre had damaged five residential buildings and about a dozen garages, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Nine wounded people, including five children, were hospitalized, The Guardian reported.
Kim said on Telegram that two people had been rescued from under the debris.
He added: “It is a miracle they were saved.”
The official said that “there are also dead,” but did not provide any further information, according to The Guardian.
Ukraine destroys 5 Russian missiles, 13 drones
In all, Ukraine’s air defence shot down two Kalibr cruise missiles, three Iskander-K cruise missiles and 13 Shahed attack unmanned aerial vehicles, fired by Russia against Ukraine’s southern coastal regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv on the night of July 19-20, Ukraine’s state news agency Ukrinform reported.
Russia had launched a total of 19 cruise missiles and 19 kamikaze drones, according to officials.
Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately destroying its grain facilities
The Russian assault on Odesa in the early hours of Thursday was the third such attack in as many nights, according to news outlets.
On Wednesday, Ukraine accused Russia of targeting its Black Sea grain facilities, causing destruction of tonnes of food, after the Kremlin quit the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an export deal designed to avert a global food crisis, The Kyiv Post website reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media: “Russian terrorists deliberately targeted the grain deal infrastructure, and every Russian missile is a blow not only to Ukraine, but to everyone in the world who wants a normal and safe life.”
According to Ukraine, Russia’s strike on Odesa in the early hours of Wednesday destroyed 60,000 tonnes of grain meant for export, the Kyiv Post reported.
US warns Russia may target civilian ships in Black Sea
Meanwhile, the White House on Wednesday warned that Russia may also move to attack civilian ships in the Black Sea, the Euractiv website reported.
Adam Hodge, a spokesman for America’s National Security Council, said the United States had information suggesting Russia had placed additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukraine’s ports, according to Euractiv.
The US official told reporters: “We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 512 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, Reuters, Ukrainska Pravda, The Guardian, Kyiv Post, Euractiv, Ukrinform