Odessa is a major port on the Black Sea and the main naval base for Ukraine. It focused on Russian forces because, if taken, it would allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Transnistria, a Russian-speaking breakaway region of Moldova that hosts Russian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said its military missile strikes destroyed an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities near Odessa on Sunday, adding that the facility was used by Ukraine to supply its troops near the city of Mykolaiv. Vladyslav Nazarov, an officer in Ukraine’s southern operational administration, told the Telegram: “Russia started with a missile strike. The Odessa region was among the priority targets. The enemy continued its vicious practice of striking at critical infrastructure. Smoke and fire after bombings in Odessa. Photography: Petros Giannakouris / AP “Smoke is visible in some areas of the city. “All relevant systems and structures are working … No casualties were reported.” Vika, a resident of the area who refused to give her last name, said it was not “good morning for Odessa”. “We woke up to powerful explosions near our house. “There was smoke, the children were panicking, the windows were burning; it was scary,” he said. “Russian peace, we are not completely happy that he came and we ask you to leave.” Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what it calls a “special military operation” to demilitarize and “denationalize” its neighbor. Ukraine rejects it as an unfounded pretext for an aggressive war. Russia says the rockets destroyed an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities. Photo: Max Pshybyshevsky / AP
