Russia attacked Odesa with drones: a residential building was hit
On March 2, 2024, Russia launched an attack on Ukrainian cities. In Odesa, a part of a residential building was hit by a drone and collapsed. 18 apartments were destroyed.
As of March 3, 12.00 am Kyiv time, at least 10 people were killed, a 4-month-old, a 7-month-old, and a 3-year-old child among them, reported the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Eight more were injured, including a child and a pregnant woman. The search and rescue operation continues as there still might be people under the rubble.
Update: As of March 4, the search and rescue operation in Odesa was complete. A total of 12 people, including 5 children, were killed due to the Russian attack. 20 more people, including one pregnant woman, were injured, informed the Department of Health of the Odesa Regional State Administration.
“We need more air defense from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to provide additional protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defense systems and more missiles for air defense systems are what save lives,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote following the news about the attack on Odesa.
At night on March 2, 2024, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with three Kh-59/Kh-35 air-launched guided missiles and 17 Shahed attack drones. A total of 14 drones were downed by Ukrainian defenders within the Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In addition to Odesa, civilian casualties were reported in Kharkiv as a result of Russia’s attack.
The prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the night attack under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – a violation of the laws and customs of war.