Odessa Under Fire: Russia Targets Key Ukraine Trade Route
Russian military forces relentlessly pounded a district in Odessa on the afternoon of May 4th.
At least three civilians were injured, and civilian infrastructure sustained damage, according to Oleg Kiper, head of the Odessa regional military administration.
"This afternoon, the enemy launched a missile strike against a district in Odessa," Kiper reported. "So far, we have confirmed injuries to three civilians: one man and two women. The man received medical attention on-site, while the women were hospitalised. They are receiving all necessary medical care."
Kiper added that civilian infrastructure was damaged, and all relevant authorities are at the scene.
In recent weeks, attacks on Odessa, a region located approximately 200 kilometres from Chișinău, have intensified. On May 1st, at least 14 people were wounded, and civilian infrastructure suffered damage.
"The Russian Federation has set its sights on Odessa, one of Ukraine's most strategically important cities from a logistical standpoint," explained Pavel Horea, a security expert with the Watchdog community, during an interview on the "Day by Day" program. "Practically all imports and exports of grain products, as well as goods crucial for Ukraine's economic well-being, transit through the port of Odessa. Additionally, Odessa serves as a key corridor for transporting ammunition and military equipment supplied by the West. However, it is evident that the Russian Federation is deliberately targeting civilian areas."
Horea believes that while there are currently no immediate security threats to the Republic of Moldova, drones or missiles used in the attacks could potentially stray off course and land in the southern region of the country.
"The risk for the Republic of Moldova is that these Russian drones and missiles could veer off course and land in southern Moldova," Horea explained. "There have been similar incidents in previous months, so it's reasonable to say that these are the only types of risks Moldova faces at this time."
A day of mourning was declared in the Odessa region on April 30th, following a massive Russian attack on the region the prior day. The death toll from that attack climbed to five. In mid-March, Russian forces launched a large-scale assault on the region, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and dozens of injuries.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
