This footage shows Ukrainian emergency services battling a massive blaze after Russian airstrikes destroyed one of Odesa’s holiday resorts.
The footage was obtained from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Wednesday, August 17, along with a statement saying: “Odesa firefighters eliminated the effects of rocket shelling.
“As a result of the hit of missiles, there was destruction and burning of buildings in one of Odesa’s resorts.”
They added that firefighters had battled the blaze for nearly five hours and said that four people had been taken to hospital with moderate injuries, with an on-site psychologist working with locals. No deaths have been reported. It was unclear at the time of writing if the fire had been fully extinguished.
The main department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Odesa region also relayed the statement and the footage, and said: “Odesa residents remember the phrases ‘how wonderful it is here’, ‘we rest here every day’, ‘you have the most delicious fruits, and your Odesa wine is a total fairy tale’.
“We remember how they came, how they loved our resorts, how we met and believed then in this lie about a brotherly people.
“And the same bad guys are now trying to destroy these resorts, destroy our lands, our country. But they have only started a boomerang…”
The Odesa region’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the incident. It said in a statement obtained by Zenger News, on Wednesday, August 17: “There are no military facilities in this area.”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office added: “Under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the Bilhorod-Dniester district prosecutor’s office, criminal proceedings were initiated on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
“According to the investigation, last night, [in the early hours of] August 17, the military of the aggressor country, disregarding the norms of international humanitarian law, once again launched rocket attacks on the peaceful population of a resort village in the Bilhorod-Dniester district.
“As a result of the rocket strikes, two recreation centers and two residential buildings were destroyed and subsequently caught fire. Walls, roofs and windows were broken in neighboring houses and outbuildings. At least 30 private households were destroyed.
“Four victims were preliminarily identified who were injured and hospitalized, in particular, a security guard of one of the recreation centers was taken to the hospital with a concussion. Measures are being taken to identify other persons who suffered physical or other damage as a result of being hit by enemy shells.
“Prosecutors of the Bilhorod-Dniester District Prosecutor’s Office, police investigators, experts, and rescue workers are working at the scene. Debris from rocket mechanisms was identified and removed, which will be sent for appropriate examinations.”
Zenger News contacted the State Emergency Service of Ukraine for further comment, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Thursday marks the 176th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 18, Russia had lost about 44,300 personnel, 1,889 tanks, 4,179 armored combat vehicles, 1,010 artillery units, 265 multiple launch rocket systems, 136 air defense systems, 234 warplanes, 197 helicopters, 793 drones, 190 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,061 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 93 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Pentagon said last week that Russia had suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties – deaths and injuries – since the beginning of its invasion.
Russia has replaced the head of its Black Sea fleet, Admiral Igor Osipov, 49, with a new commander, Vice-Admiral Viktor Sokolov, 60, according to Russian state-owned news agency RIA. The move comes after a series of explosions at three locations, including an airbase, an ammunition depot and an airfield, in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense has said that China is sending troops to Russia to take part in joint military exercises that are “unrelated to the current international and regional situation”.
On Wednesday, Ukraine performed disaster response drills near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – following repeated shelling.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak, 50, has said that the main bridge that connects Crimea to Russia must be “dismantled”. Podolyak called the bridge an “illegal object”, adding that it “must therefore be dismantled. Not important how – voluntary or not.”
Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, 56, has said that his country had not lost any U.S.-supplied HIMARS systems, contradicting Russian claims.
