Russia bombards Odesa's historic center, kills 1, injures 21

Kyiv Jul 24, 2023

Russian troops bombarded Odesa on July 23, damaging the historic center and a UNESCO-listed cathedral and killing and injuring civilians.

One person was killed, and 21, including four children, were injured, according to local authorities.

At least 44 buildings were damaged, Deputy Head of the President's Office Oleksiy Kuleba reported. Among them were 25 historical buildings, including the Transfiguration Cathedral, according to Kuleba.

"This is another attempt to kill peaceful Ukrainians, erase our history, and destroy our heritage of global significance," Kuleba wrote.

Although the Transfiguration Cathedral was founded in 1794, the original building was destroyed by the Soviet regime in 1936, and the new cathedral was built in 2003.

The cathedral belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow – a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church active in Ukraine, which is widely known for supporting the Russian invasion.

Following the attack, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its troops targeted "facilities where terrorist acts against Russia were being prepared."

President Volodymyr Zelensky said "there will be a response" to Russia's attack on Odesa.

"Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral. There can be no excuse for Russian evil," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched a total of 19 missiles from the Black Sea and occupied Crimea, including Kalibr, Kh-22, and Oniks cruise missiles, along with the Iskander short-range ballistic missiles.

Ukraine managed to shoot down nine of the targets, the Air Force said, without disclosing where the 10 missiles that weren't taken down hit.

This is the latest in a series of attacks on Odesa Oblast and the regional capital that Russian forces have launched this week, targeting the port and critical agricultural infrastructure following Moscow's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.