On the afternoon of July 3, a Russian ballistic missile strike in Odessa killed two people and injured six. Port infrastructure was damaged.
According to Odesa Regional Administration head Oleh Kiper, the Iskander missile hit the area of one of the berths at the Odessa Sea Port, where people were working at the time, unloading metal from a foreign vessel flying the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Infrastructure, including port cranes, equipment, and warehouses, was also damaged.
"Two people were killed—one a dock mechanic, the other a truck driver. Six others were injured, including employees of a port operator and another truck driver. Two of the wounded are Syrian citizens, members of the civilian ship’s crew," Kiper wrote on Telegram.
"Russia has been shelling our ports for the fourth year in a row. It targets the infrastructure that connects Ukraine with the world, the people who ensure the daily operation of critical facilities, and civilians. This attack is further evidence that Russia is deliberately trying to destroy our transport hubs, export capabilities, and the lives of peaceful citizens.Free and safe navigation must be the norm, not the exception. There must be a strong international response. The world cannot remain silent in the face of deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure," wrote Oleksiy Kuleba.
