Ukraine promised "retaliation" on Sunday after "19 missiles" were fired at Odesa by Russia overnight, killing two people and injuring around 20.
The victims included at least four children and a historic cathedral was destroyed, just hours before a meeting between Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, a staunch Moscow ally.
"Missiles against peaceful towns, residential buildings, a cathedral…," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "There will definitely be a retaliation against Russian terrorists for Odesa," he promised.
The Ukrainian air force claimed that a total of “19 missiles of various types” (Onyx, Kalibr and Iskander) had been fired by "the enemy" during the night, nine of which were wiped out.
"The Transfiguration Cathedral, located in the historic centre of Odesa, protected by Unesco, was destroyed. A war crime that will never be forgotten or forgiven," for its part, denounced the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Twitter.
Those of the projectiles that were not intercepted by the anti-aircraft defence also “caused damage to port infrastructure, to at least six residences including flat blocks”, the army said. This attack also caused "power cuts," it stressed.
"More defensive missile systems" and tactical missiles for Ukraine, Andriï Iermak, head of the presidential administration, demanded in response.
The Russian Army assures that it is only targeting military sites. On Sunday, it claimed to have struck places where "terrorist acts against Russia using naval drones were being prepared."
