Russian Missile Strikes Critical Infrastructure In Ukraine's Odesa, No Casualties

Illustration of the Russian attack. (Photo Source: Belgorod Region Branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry via TASS)

JAKARTA - Russian missiles hit "critical infrastructure" which is most likely a fuel depot near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, early Sunday.

There were no casualties in the incident, city officials said.

Odesa is an important port on the Black Sea and a major naval base for Ukraine.

The city was targeted by Russian troops because if it was captured it would launch a land route to Transdniestria, a province that broke away from Moldova and became a base for the Russian army.

Russia's defense ministry said a missile attack by its forces destroyed an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities near Odesa on Sunday.

The facility is used by Ukraine to supply its troops near the city of Mykolaiv, the Russian defense ministry said.

Vladyslav Nazarov, an official at Ukraine's Southern Operational Command, said on Telegram: "Russia started launching missile attacks. The Odesa region became one of the targets. The enemy continues to carry out vicious attacks on critical infrastructure."

"Smoke can be seen in several areas of the city. All related systems and structures are functioning… No casualties have been reported."

Vika, a local resident who declined to give her full name, said the attack was not "a good morning to Odesa".

"We were woken up by a huge explosion near our house. There was smoke, the children were panicking, the windows were shattered… horrible," he told Reuters.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what it described as a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbor.

Ukraine called Russia's excuse a baseless pretext for starting war.