at least 18 dead in strikes in the Odessa region

On the night of Thursday June 30 to Friday July 1, two missile strikes hit the Odessa region (Ukraine). A nine-story building was targeted. Dozens of apartments were pulverized. Amid the rubble, firefighters were still looking for possible survivors on the morning of July 1. About 150 inhabitants were surprised in their sleep, when a first missile fell around 1 am.

The provisional toll is at least 18 dead. Forty people were evacuated. The residents of the neighborhood are bewildered. Another strike in the night targeted a nearby holiday camp. These two consecutive strikes took place 80 kilometers southwest of Odessa, a strategic city. Ukraine accuses Russia of having fired the missiles by plane from the Black Sea. Russia denies having targeted civilians, but Odessa remains in its sights after the Russians had to withdraw on Thursday June 30 from a key island in the region.