Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
21 more killed
Odesa homes razed, death toll set to rise
RUSSIA blitzed civilians yet again yesterday, flattening apartment blocks and killing at least 21 people – including a 12-year-old boy.
Missiles slammed into homes near the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv as residents slept.
As many as 31 civilians were hospitalised following the attack, including a pregnant woman.
The latest atrocity heightens fears Russia is using degraded and inaccurate weaponry.
Around 150 people were thought to be living in one Odesa building that was hit. It is not yet known how many are missing.
Russia has doubled its airstrikes in the past two weeks, firing 202 missiles and hitting as many as 68 civilian sites.
The Kremlin denied firing indiscriminately. A spokesman said: “I would like to remind you of the President’s words that the Russian Armed Forces do not work with civilian targets.”
A day earlier, Russian troops abandoned Snake Island. It is hoped their retreat may result in the easing of a Black Sea blockade that is stopping key food exports.
President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, yesterday and said: “It does not yet ensure that the enemy will not come back, but this significantly limits the actions of the occupiers. Step by step, we will push them back from our sea, our land and our sky.” Mr The Ukrainian President stood alongside MPS as a minute of silence was observed for those killed in the attacks near Odesa.
Yesterday, four Russian spies were seized in Kyiv.
It came as Russian state news agency TASS reported that Shaun Pinner, one of the British men sentenced to death for fighting for Ukrainian forces, had appealed his sentence.
It said another condemned Briton, Aiden Aslin, had not yet submitted an appeal. c.hughes@mirror.co.uk
@defencechris
Our Armed Forces do not work with civilian targets KREMLIN SPOKESMAN
AFTER TOWER BLOCK HIT