NEW DELHI: The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Black Sea port city increased to 20 and 75 were injured, Ukrainian officials said on Friday.
Earlier, Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, on the Telegram, said, “As a result of the Russian missile attack, 14 people were killed, including residents, a medic, and a rescuer.”
In the second missile attack, the medic and rescuers were killed, Kiper added.The emergency services said that 10 houses, a low-pressure gas pipeline, and rescue vehicles were damaged in the attack.
Rescuers battled to put out fires on the pipeline and in a private house over a total area of about 120 square metres.
Odesa, one of Ukraine’s biggest ports, has long been a target of the Russian attacks, especially after Moscow quit a UN-brokered deal that had allowed safe passage for Ukrainian grain shipments via the Black Sea.
Ukraine has developed and used long-range drones to try to strike back at Russia, stepping up attacks on a string of oil refineries this week in the run-up to Russia‘s March 15-17 presidential election
On the other hand, Russian Governor claimed that one person was killed and two others were injured in the Belgorod Region in the Ukraine shelling.
“According to preliminary data, one civilian was killed. Also, according to the disaster medicine service, there were two injured in the city,” he wrote in the Telegram.
The killed man was at his workplace in a shop when the shelling began. He suffered multiple shrapnel wounds to the chest and abdomen. The ambulance crew did their utmost trying to save the man’s life, but he died of wounds on the spot.
(With inputs from agencies)