Dozens more were wounded in the attack, which was the deadliest in the Black Sea port city since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, CNN reported.
The ordeal spread early Friday morning (local time) when a Russian missile, aimed at civilian infrastructure, pierced the urban area of Odessa. The initial attack caused chaos and carnage, claiming the lives of innocent civilians and injuring many others. The horror didn’t stop there.
In a grim turn of events, emergency service personnel, who were rushing toward the victims, found themselves caught in a second attack, a tactic ominously dubbed a “double whammy,” a ruthless feature of Russian tactics in the ongoing standoff in Ukraine. report.
“This is the first time that a double attack has taken place in the Odessa region,” said Maryna Averina, a spokeswoman for the Odessa State Emergency Service, expressing surprise and disbelief at an unprecedented escalation of violence.
“Rescuers arrived at the scene of the attack and without delay began putting out the fire, clearing debris and searching for victims. And then there was a second missile attack,” Averina said, pointing to the cruelty of the attackers.
Tragically, the second attack claimed the lives of eight rescuers, Denys Kolesnikov, a 25-year-old firefighter whose selfless determination cost him his life.
The measures were taken in the context of Russia’s orchestrated presidential election, in which President Vladimir Putin is seeking to extend his term. This moment underscores the perpetrators’ dispossession of human life, as CNN reported.
As the death toll continues to rise, with at least 73 other people injured, in addition to emergency services personnel, the resilience of the citizens of Odessa shines through amid the devastation.
Maria Slisovska, a resident who witnessed the horror, recounted the terrifying moments when the missiles hit.
“At first, our windows were still intact. Then, about five minutes later, there was a second explosion. The roofs were damaged. . . And then there was an attack after the assistance came. The boys were dead. There were other people covered in blood. We are now in the process of cleaning the window,” Slisovska said, her words reflecting a bright picture of the chaos and depression gripping the city.
In a televised address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the measures as a “despicable act of cowardice,” and vowed a determined reaction to the perpetrators.
“Our defense forces will do everything possible to make the Russian murderers feel our response,” Zelensky said, and his words resonated in a country rocked by the horrors of war.
Amid the pain and anguish, expressions of condolences poured in from around the world: Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko sent his condolences to the bereaved families and Denise Brown, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, condemned the heinous attack.
Odessa, a strategic hub for Ukraine’s grain exports and naval operations, has come under relentless attack for months, exacerbating the suffering of its resilient population.
This brazen attack is a stark reminder of the stark truth of war, as world leaders grapple with the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Last week’s accident, in which a missile hit dangerously close to President Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, underscores the precariousness of the situation.
After the attack, Zelensky renewed his call for foreign support, emphasizing the urgent need for air defense to protect civilian populations, CNN reported.