A mass overnight drone attack by Russian forces struck residential areas of Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa, setting homes ablaze and damaging buildings in a densely populated neighbourhood, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.

“The enemy targeted a residential area,” Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said, posting images of flames engulfing a multi-storey apartment block and shattered window frames. The strike, he added, was aimed at “a densely populated district,” marking one of the most serious hits on Odesa’s civilian infrastructure in recent weeks.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper confirmed that dwellings, an educational institution, civilian infrastructure, and vehicles had been damaged. Emergency services were deployed to the scene, and the number of casualties was still being determined, he said.

Odesa, located on the Black Sea and home to three major ports, has long been a key target in Russia’s campaign. The region’s strategic role in Ukraine’s grain exports and its connection to international shipping routes have made it a focal point since the start of the full-scale war in 2022.

Russian attacks have intensified in recent days, despite ongoing international efforts to de-escalate the conflict. Tuesday’s drone strike comes just hours after Ukrainian officials warned of renewed risks to urban centres amid shifting military activity along the front lines.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of injuries or fatalities, but residents reported multiple explosions and fires overnight, with firefighting teams still working at dawn.

As Odesa wakes to assess the damage, the attack serves as another reminder of the war’s cost far from the battlefield — in the homes, schools, and streets of Ukraine’s cities.

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