Ukraine claims Russia launched cruise missile on port city of Odessa as war enters phase 2

Ukraine on Saturday claimed that Russia’s troops intensifying offensive in their second phase of the military invasion in eastern Donbass have launched cruise missiles on Ukrainian port city of Odesa. "Odesa was hit by a missile strike. Infrastructure has been hit," the statement from Ukraine’s defence ministry read. Following the launch, Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba once again renewed his calls to declare Moscow “a sponsor of terrorism.” 

"The only aim of Russian missile strikes on Odesa is terror. Russia must be designated a state sponsor of terrorism and treated accordingly. No business, no contacts, no cultural projects. We need a wall between civilization and barbarians striking peaceful cities with missiles," Kuleba wrote on twitter. 

Five killed, including a three-month-old baby: Office of the Ukraine President

As a result of rocket fire launched by the Russian troops on the city of Odessa, five were killed, including a three-month-old baby, Ukraine's Office of the President said in a post. 

Odesa city council separately informed on Telegram that the missile had hit the civilian infrastructure. Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko, said that the enemy [Russia’s soldiers] fired at least six missiles, some of which were shot down by Ukraine’s air defence systems. A residential building was damaged by the strike, he claimed. Russia had previously launched three missile strikes on the strategic port city of Odessa.

Maksym Marchenko, Head of Odessa Regional Military Administration had informed in a telegram post that the missile was launched from 2014 Russia-annexed Crimean territory. Russians "would regret every launch of missiles and every attack on our land,” he said, adding that the attack had caused the human casualties. He, although, did not give out the exact figure. 

Ukraine’s Operational Command South of the Ukrainian military said that air defences had prevented attacks targetting Odesa’s critical infrastructure. At least two air targets were shot down by the Ukraine Air Defense on April 23. “At 13:20 in Odessa and the region announced an air alert. Ten minutes later, citizens heard explosions. Then there was information about the damage to the house,” Ukraine’s parliament ”Duma” said. Residents were asked to take shelter immediately as the air raid sirens went off. Ukraine’s soldiers’ anti-aircraft missile units destroyed two enemy [Russian] cruise missiles (previously X555 or X101), which were fired on Odessa and 2 UAVs of operational and tactical level,” Ukrayinska Pravda reported.