A rescuer works at the scene following a Russian ballistic missile that struck a postal depot at a location given as Odesa, in this still image obtained from social media video released 2 May 2024;
Credit: Hennadii Trukhanov via Telegram/via Reuters
(Reuters) - A Russian ballistic missile struck a postal depot in the Ukrainian port of Odesa late on Wednesday 1 May 2024, injuring fourteen people and triggering a large fire, Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said.
It was the third missile attack on the city in as many days.
Kiper, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said one of the injured required hospital treatment.
The head of the Nova Poshta postal and courier company, Volodymyr Popereshniuk, said on Facebook that all eighteen employees on duty had made their way safely to a bomb shelter before the missile hit a loading section of the depot.
Pictures and videos posted online showed flames and billowing clouds of smoke engulfing buildings and firefighters training their hoses on areas still ablaze. Most of the loading area appeared to have been reduced to a shell.
One Odesa media outlet posted a video that showed the moment of impact, with debris flying inside the facility.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports. Russia denies targeting civilian sites.
Odesa is a frequent target of Russian attacks and missiles have hit sites in the city over the past two days, killing eight people.
Many of the attacks since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022 have singled out the city's port infrastructure.
