Odesa and the surrounding area has seen a sharp uptick in strikes in the last week, with Russian forces using submarines, surface ships and aircraft to launch missiles.
The southern city came under attack again on Monday while, elsewhere, Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold out in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
Here are some of the latest developments:
Odesa under fire: Russian aerial strikes hit two hotels and a shopping mall in the southern city of Odesa overnight. Ukraine says hypersonic missiles were used in the attack. One person died and five were hospitalized, according to Ukrainian officials. Fires caused by strikes have since been extinguished
Ukrainian counterattack in Kharkiv: The Ukrainian military says Russia is holding back some of its forces within its borders to prevent a Ukrainian counterattack that has made some headway east of Kharkiv. Inside Ukraine, the general staff says the most intense activity is in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces are trying to advance toward the town of Lyman, a major transport hub.
Bodies of civilians recovered: The bodies of 44 civilians were found in the rubble of a five-story building in the town of Izium, which is currently controlled by Russian troops. It’s not clear when the building was destroyed, but the eastern town has been heavily contested and intensively shelled in recent weeks.
WHO verifies healthcare attacks: The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since the start of the war. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he discussed the health situation in the country with Ukrainian officials and said the WHO will continue to support Ukraine’s healthcare system.
Holding out at Azovstal: At least 100 civilians, thought to be mainly men, are still trapped in the Azovstal steel plant complex in Mariupol, an adviser to the mayor of the city said. It comes as Ukrainian soldiers continue to fight in the last holdout of resistance in the southern city.
Russian journalists write posts critical of Putin: Two Russian reporters appear to have posted at least 30 articles that appeared briefly on a pro-Kremlin news site, lenta.ru, criticizing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his government’s suppression of critics. “Putin and his circle are doomed to face a tribunal after the end of the war,” they wrote on lenta.ru. “Putin and his associates won’t be able to justify themselves or flee after losing this war.”
Finland edges closer to NATO: It is “highly likely” that Finland will apply for membership in NATO, the country’s Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen told CNN on Monday. The nation’s likely membership is “a very natural response” to Russia’s war in Ukraine, she said, adding that if her country does indeed apply, she hopes “the ratification process would be as brief as possible.”
