On the night of Saturday, July 18, the Odesa region was subjected to a large-scale aggression by Russian occupiers. This was part of a broader wave of attacks across Ukraine, during which seven missiles and 90 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were launched. Despite the active work of air defense units, which managed to intercept most targets, the enemy managed to strike critical infrastructure.
Tragedy in the Black Sea waters
One of the most severe consequences of the night shelling was an attack on international shipping. In the waters of the Black Sea, Russian occupiers struck a foreign merchant vessel flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. According to the Odesa Regional Military Administration (RMA), the incident resulted in casualties.
As a result of the hit, one person died. Three other crew members sustained injuries of varying severity and were urgently hospitalized. The injured are currently receiving all necessary medical assistance.
Destruction and secondary strikes
In addition to the attack on the vessel, port infrastructure facilities were also hit. Buildings, tanks, and warehouses were in the impact zone. There is currently no information about casualties among the personnel of these facilities, but the scale of the damage requires time for a full assessment.
A particular danger for rescue services is the enemy's tactic of launching strikes while the consequences of the first attacks are being eliminated. During the work to eliminate the consequences of one of the attacks, the enemy launched a follow-up strike. As a result, special rescue equipment was damaged. Fortunately, the personnel were in a shelter at that moment, so there were no casualties among the rescuers.
Situation in other regions
Although the Odesa region was the main target of the strike, the aggression did not spare other regions. Earlier, it was reported that Russian drones attacked a residential building in the Chernihiv region. As a result of the incident, five people were injured, including three children.
